The Kwara State Government says it has demoted a school teacher accused of maltreating a youth corps member posted to Government Day Junior Secondary School, Kulende, Ilorin.
The teacher, Fatimoh Hamzat Nike, was demoted by two grade levels, according to a joint statement in Ilorin by the Commissioner of Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, and the Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Teaching Service Commission, Mallam Bello Tauheed Abubakar.
The government said, “The investigative panel set up on the matter found Hajia Hamzat Fatimoh Nike guilty of fighting on duty, use of foul language, insubordination, and disrespect for the national identity which the uniform of the corps member represents.
“Her behavior contravenes public service rules, and she has therefore been demoted by two grade levels.”
The teacher is also to be transferred out of her current school and undergo counseling sessions, the statement added.
The state government declared that such abuse will not be tolerated under any guise.
“The government deeply regrets the action of the teacher and reassures the management of the National Youth Service Corps that the development does not represent the people of the state, and it will not happen again,” the statement said.
It urged teachers in the state to remain law-abiding at all times by performing their duties in accordance with the laid-down procedure, as the state government will continue to prioritize training on teaching ethics and procedures of service.
Meanwhile, the management of the National Youth Service Corps has withdrawn all the corps members serving at the Government Day Secondary School, Kulende, Ilorin.
It was gathered that about 10 corps members serving in both junior and senior arms of the school were reportedly withdrawn on Monday by the state directorate of NYSC following the alleged assault on a female corps member serving in the school by some female teachers who accused her of failure to greet them.
It was further gathered that the Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Y. D. Ahmed, visited the school on Monday before proceeding to inspect members of the 2024 Batch C, Stream 2, at the ongoing orientation course in Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area of the state after which he ordered that all the corps members serving in the school be withdrawn temporarily to ensure their safety.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of NYSC in the state, Oladipo Morakinyo, on Tuesday confirmed the withdrawal of the corps members serving in both the Junior and Senior Secondary Schools.
“Yes, it is true that all the NYSC members serving in the school have been withdrawn from the school temporarily pending the outcome of the investigation of the case by the panel set up by the government on the alleged assault on one of the corps members.
“Though the corps member assaulted is serving in the junior school, we have to withdrawn all the corps members serving in the senior school so as to protect them from being attacked,” Morakinyo said.
It was learnt that the female corps member was beaten and stripped by the teachers after scolding her for not greeting them properly.
The corps member had visited the school to collect her clearance letter but was allegedly assaulted by a teacher for “not greeting them properly.”
Eyewitnesses also claimed that the teachers attacked her, tearing her NYSC white T-shirt, and was allegedly joined by another teacher who slapped the corps member.
