Ondo bans Primary 4-to-secondary school promotion - Punch Newspapers

Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Igbekele Ajibefun. Photo: New Telegraph.

The Ondo State Government has banned the promotion of pupils from Primary 4 to secondary school, warning public and private schools against violating the national 6-3-3-4 education policy. The government also announced measures to tackle examination “miracle centres” and shut unregistered and undocumented private schools operating in the state. The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Igbekele Ajibefun, disclosed this during a meeting with education stakeholders in Akure, the state capital, on Thursday, ahead of the resumption of schools next week. Ajibefun said the premature promotion of pupils was undermining education quality by denying them two years of learning at the primary level. He said the policy was being implemented because some pupils who were not adequately prepared were subsequently registered for state and national examinations. “We noticed that some students who are not qualified for certain exams, like state exams, and even national exams like WAEC, are being registered for these exams. “The education policy of Nigeria is 6-3-3-4. That means six years in primary school, three years in junior secondary school and three years in senior secondary school. But many of our schools, particularly primary schools, bypass this policy. “We have cases where pupils are moved from Primary 4 to secondary schools,” he said. Herbal drinks: Ondo death toll rises to 27 as govt begins crackdown Lagos-Calabar road: Ondo lawyers seek restoration of coastal route Ondo warns against consumption of uncertified herbal concoctions The commissioner said pupils must complete six years of primary education before proceeding to secondary school, although exceptionally brilliant pupils could benefit from double promotion. “For a student to spend just four years, it means two years are cut off from the learning environment and the learning process. Some students, when they get to secondary school, don’t have the foundation to cope, and when they get to the point of writing the WAEC exam, this is why they will want to cheat and commit all forms of exam fraud,” Ajibefun stated. He said the state would fully implement the Federal Government’s 6-3-3-4 policy, stressing that double promotion would only apply to academically qualified pupils. “We are stopping students, pupils, from moving to secondary school without passing through Primary Six. If we have very brilliant students, yes, they can have double promotion. But not that all pupils in the class would jump from Primary Five to Primary Six. That is what is also affecting the quality of education in our environment,” he said. Ajibefun also announced a crackdown on examination “miracle centres”, saying the government would not tolerate facilities where examination malpractice was perpetrated. “We do hear about the examination ‘miracle centres’. Yes, we learned that the exam miracle centres are where all forms of exam fraud are committed. So, we are going to look at these areas; we are going to do total monitoring. If we discover any, this is the time to eliminate it,” he said. The commissioner said the government would also move against private schools operating without registration or proper documentation. He said the number of unregistered private schools in the state was believed to be higher than that of registered schools, adding that some schools were operating from single rooms and sheds without being captured in government records. “Having identified some of the issues that require some corrective measures, the ministry is coming up with new policies and these new policies will take effect, most of them, from this new academic year,” Ajibefun stated. Peter Dada

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!

Stay in the know—fast. Get instant alerts, breaking headlines, and exclusive stories with the Punch News App. Download now and never miss a beat.