The Chairman, Education Management Board, Nigerian Baptist Convention, Prof. Oyesoji Aremu, has described as disheartening, a viral video that painted Baptist Mission Schools as extortionist.
Aremu, who said this in a statement in Ibadan, denied alleged collection of N8, 000 by the school for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration as portrayed in the video.
He said that the Baptist denomination in Nigeria and in other climes, was a pride to Christendom, adding that such pride, was rooted in legacies of training and values, which every Baptist was taken through.
“And, by extension, the virtues and values, which go with sound academic traditions, are given to students in our schools nationally.
“Given this, Baptist Mission Schools, abhor illicit and sharp practices and the same are disallowed in their engagements within and outside.
“On the above premise, it was disheartening and disturbing watching a video clip that went viral since April 28, following the unscheduled tour of duty of the hardworking Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede,” he said.
According to him, in the video clip, Prof. Oloyede assumed the role of a ‘prosecutor and judge’ against the defenceless teacher, Mr Kayode Oloyede, who was also on a scheduled assignment.
“Here, one of Mr. Oloyede’s students was the witness. In the video clip, the JAMB Registrar, publicly put on ‘trial’ Mr. Oloyede, a teacher at “the Baptist Girls Academy.
“This put some questions on the social image of the teacher and on the public image of Baptist Mission Schools in Nigeria,” he said.
Aremu said the question of the alleged N8, 000 collected by the Baptist Girls Academy, ought to have been properly investigated by the JAMB Registrar
He said that this should have been done before subjecting the school and the teacher, who took the girls out for registration, to an emotional trial and public opprobrium.
“The School, Baptist Girls Academy did not charge N8, 000 for the JAMB organised Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration, as alleged by Prof. Oloyede.
“The breakdown of the charges that amounted to the alleged monetary infraction is as follows: UTME registration: 3,500, novel recommended and provided by JAMB): N500, CBT Charges: N700,
“Others are Test Driller Software plus installation (CBT Practice Kit): N2000 and transportation and feeding, which is N1, 300.
“While the girl was ‘correct’ to have said the school collected N8, 000, the undeniable fact was that the whole money was not meant for registration,” he explained.
He expressed concern that Prof. Oloyede did not allow the teacher to explain the breakdown, rather, he was publicly muscled and emotionally debased.
Aremu stated that some private schools in the country charged up to N10, 000 and N20, 000 and even beyond, depending on the services provided.
“The JAMB Registrar is lauded for his quality assurance tour of duty as his practice every year.
“He is, however, advised to show more discernment and restraint, so as not to give wrong labels, as his actions portrayed in the video clip that went viral.
“The best Prof. Oloyede could have done in the referred video clip, if he suspected any infructuous behaviour by the school, was to have called the proprietor of the Baptist Mission Schools in Nigeria.
“After all, the popular Yoruba adage says, you don’t know the owner of a dog and kill it, or draw the attention of the Ministry of Education, Lagos State to it.
“Public offices are supposed to be held in trust for all and in the best interest of all,” Aremu said.
