The Ogun State Government has sent a second delegation to extend its condolences to the family of Monday Arijo, a student who passed away on Friday after being subjected to corporal punishment by a teacher at Obada Grammar School, Idi-emi.
The post-mortem report, currently being conducted at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Abeokuta, is expected soon to determine the cause of his death.
Led by the Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, the delegation visited the Arijo family on Tuesday.
While expressing sympathy, Prof. Arigbabu issued a stern reminder to teachers in state-owned schools to avoid corporal punishment, reiterating the state’s commitment to non-violent discipline practices.
He stated, “The state government has set up a committee to look into the root cause and all other circumstances that surround what has happened because when anything happens, the most important thing is for us to be able to learn from a particular situation, not only about Obada Grammar School.”
Prof. Arigbabu emphasized that avoiding corporal punishment aligns with global educational standards, saying, “What I am saying is that this is not even about Ogun State; we are saying that this is a world standard. There are regulations against corporal punishment. That does not mean children will not behave well; we can actually discipline children. We can raise them to become whatever they want to be in life without resorting to corporal punishment.”
He reassured parents of the government’s ongoing vigilance and strict measures to hold accountable any teacher found violating these guidelines.
“When you do something and you are not caught, there is nothing we can do about it. But this one, we know about it. We are saying that teachers, as much as we don’t want to discourage them from doing their work, should do it in accordance with the rules of the game,” he said, highlighting that disciplinary measures have already been taken against those involved in Arijo’s case.
Prof. Arigbabu also urged teachers to demonstrate professionalism and maturity, exploring alternative ways of enforcing discipline that do not involve physical punishment.
“As trained teachers, there are a number of ways to instil discipline. We are not saying there should be indiscipline in schools; what we are saying is that there are other ways through which you can discipline a child,” he explained, noting that indiscriminate use of corporal punishment can lead to severe consequences.
“Like the incident that happened, that is what occurs when you use corporal punishment or a cane indiscriminately; you have this type of situation on your hands. We have always spoken against it.”
Assuring parents of the state’s commitment to a supportive educational environment, he added, “The teachers that were responsible have had action taken against them; we have handed out suspensions to the teacher as well as the principal of the school. We are also taking measures to support the family with whatever is necessary to ensure that this pain is something we assist them in bearing.”
In response, Mr. Abdullateef Oduntan, speaking for the Arijo family, expressed that while they are not interested in pursuing a legal battle, they hope the government takes firm steps to prevent such incidents in the future.
Mrs. Ronke Soyombo, the Special Adviser on Education to the Ogun State Governor, reinforced the state’s commitment to supporting the family during their period of mourning and assured that measures are in place to prevent such occurrences across schools.
Meanwhile, the outcome of the post-mortem report from FMC Abeokuta is highly anticipated as the state seeks answers to this tragic incident.
