Outrage as Anambra Education Board Punishes Teachers Who Attended School on Sit-at-Home Day

By Our Correspondent

The Anambra State Government has suspended nine headteachers and principals for two weeks, a move that has sparked widespread outrage after it emerged that many of the affected school heads were present in their schools on the Monday sit-at-home day but were sanctioned over low turnout of pupils and students.

The suspension was announced by the Chairperson of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Dr. Vera Nwadinobi, following a state-wide monitoring exercise to assess compliance with the government’s directive abolishing school closures associated with the sit-at-home order.

Dr. Nwadinobi said the directive was issued by Governor Chukwuma Soludo through an Executive Order announced during the State Executive Council retreat held on January 21, restoring full academic activities on Mondays.

She noted that government had earlier warned that teachers and non-teaching staff who failed to comply with the order risk sanctions, including salary deductions or forfeiture.

The schools affected by the suspension, all government-owned institutions across different local government areas of the state, include:
Union Primary School and Walter Eze Secondary School, Ukpo
Aguoji Primary School and Hilltop Primary School, Ifitedunu
Chukwurah Primary School, Abatete
Uzubi Primary School and Union Primary School, Eziowelle
Umunebo Primary School, Nteje
Central School, Atani.

ASUBEB said the suspension takes immediate effect, directing the affected school heads to hand over to the next most senior officers to ensure continuity of administrative and academic activities.

Speaking on the findings of the monitoring exercise, Dr. Nwadinobi expressed disappointment over what she described as widespread absenteeism among pupils and students, despite the presence of teachers in several of the schools visited.

“At Union Primary School, Ukpo, only three pupils were present, while Walter Eze Secondary School recorded no student attendance,” she said.

She added that Aguoji Primary School, Ifitedunu, had five pupils present, while Hilltop Primary School in the same community recorded three.

“Chukwurah Primary School, Abatete, had no pupils; Uzubi Primary School, Eziowelle, recorded two pupils, while Union Primary School in the same community had three.

“No pupil was found at Umunebo Primary School, Nteje, and Central School, Atani, at the time of the visit,” she said.

Dr. Nwadinobi described the suspension as a demonstration of the government’s zero tolerance for negligence, warning that future infractions could attract stiffer sanctions, including dismissal from service.

The decision has, however, generated sharp public criticism, with many stakeholders questioning the rationale behind punishing school heads who reportedly obeyed the directive by attending school on the sit-at-home Monday.

While some observers commended the government for enforcing discipline in the education sector, others described the action as unjust and an abuse of administrative power.

Critics argued that school heads cannot compel parents to send their children to school in the face of lingering fear and insecurity associated with Mondays.

“Most of these teachers were in school. They opened their gates and waited,” a parent in Idemili North said, adding “They are not responsible for parents’ decisions. Punishing them for circumstances beyond their control is unfair.”

Others urged the government to focus on restoring public confidence and addressing the underlying security concerns surrounding Mondays, rather than placing sole responsibility for pupil attendance on school administrators.