Sequel to the alleged withholding of the results of the May/June 2016 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination of students from Ondo State by the West African Examination Council, parents of the affected students have called on Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to intervene in the matter.
It was gathered that the state government owed the examination body an unspecified amount of money which informed the action of the WAEC to seize the result of the students.
A source, however, said it was the immediate past government of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko that allegedly owed the examination body yet the present administration in the state had not cleared the debt.
Some of the parents who spoke with our correspondent lamented that the development might have negative effect on the students psychologically and educationally.
One of the parents who identified herself as Mrs. Adeyemo appealed to the state government to take action on the matter so that the students would move to the next level of their academic career.
She said,“ We know the state is not buoyant financially now but our governor should help us find solution to the problem , our children would like to know their fate in the SSCE so as to know what step to take next.”
Another parent, who craved anonymity because he is a civil servant said the government was insensitive to the lives of the students in the state.
“I don’t know why our government is not always serious about the lives of our children who are the future leaders. The government is toying with the lives of the students because their own children are not affected.
“We will continue to appeal to our governor to act on the issue, WAEC result is very important in somebody’s academic life, you can see now my own children could not obtain the UTME (Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination) because there is no WAEC result ,” he stated.
However, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Education, Mr. Steve Awosika denied the report that said government owed WAEC, saying although the government had issues with WAEC but not on the money matter.
The P.S said, “It is not true, we are not owing WAEC, although we have issues with WAEC right now but we are already tacking the issues, it will soon be resolved.
“Some of the private schools that have not gotten their results , are they also owing too ? These are all issues that we have to resolve but money is not part of it, I’m sure before the end of the week, the issue will be resolved.”
Similarly, a vice principal in one of the secondary schools in the state under the condition of anonymity, confirmed that it was because of the debt the state government owes WAEC that led to the withholding of the students’ results.
He said, “The government is owing WAEC, but I don’t know the actual amount, that is why our students are yet to have their results.
“But it is not a new thing because during the days of Mimiko-led administration, it happened and after the sometimes the issue was resolved, and I believe this government too will resolve it because our students must have their results.”
PUNCH
