In spite of directive to reopen on Monday (today), schools in Oyo state remain closed.

The State Government had announced the re-opening of public schools in the state with effect from Monday. This directive was contained in a statement signed by Toye Arulogun, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism.

According to Arulogun, the State Government decided to reopen the schools with effect from Monday July 11, excluding the 17 schools that participated in the June 6 violent demonstration.

NAN reports that a trip round the Ibadan metropolis showed that both primary and secondary schools’ gates were not opened after four weeks of closure. Some students were seen already dressed in their school uniforms in the morning but could not gain access into the school premises. Those who spoke under a condition of anonymity, said they were in school because of the directive by the State Government that schools should re-open on Monday.

Both teaching and non-teaching staff were absent from the schools visited as the gates remained shut.

It will be recalled that on June 6 some public school pupils went on rampage to protest government’s proposed public/private participatory management of schools in the state.

Azeez