Ekiti sacks teacher for impregnating student

From Victor Akinkuolie Ado-Ekiti
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The Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), has dismissed a teacher for allegedly impregnating one of his students.

The dismissed teacher, Mr. Owoosi Gbenga, who was on Grade level 10, until his dismissal, taught Economics at Alarelu Comprehensive High School, Igbara Odo-Ekiti in Ekiti South Local Government area of the state.

Owoosi was alleged to have impregnated one of his students, a 17 year- old SS3 girl preparing for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination.

The Chairman, Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission,  Babatunde Abegunde, while speaking with journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, said the commission had carried out a thorough investigation on the matter and followed the due process before arriving at the decision to  dismiss the teacher to serve as deterrent to others who might want to indulge in such depraved and unethical act.

The Chairman, who commended Ekiti State Government for swinging into action by arresting the culprit, assured the public that Ekiti values will definitely be restored by the Dr. Kayode Fayemi-led administration with the giant strides of ensuring justice and bringing perpetrators to book without hesitation.

In his words,  “Findings by the TESCOM Disciplinary Committee revealed that the accused has previous bad records as it was discovered that he had previously collaborated with some students to steal laptop computers belonging to the school”

The dismissed teacher was said to have impregnated an underage referred to as minor according to Gender Based Violence Prohibition Law 2019.

The Disciplinary Committee stressed that the case of the dismissed teacher was treated in accordance with the State Public Service Rules (2017), and Ekiti State Teaching Service Manual which recommended dismissal as the ultimate penalty for serious misconduct and criminal offence of such magnitude.

The Committee also recommended that all teachers should be sensitized on Gender Based Violence Prohibition Law 2019 and other related issues and that schools should be well monitored ever than before, with emphasis on moral norms and ethical standard that can uplift TESCOM in line with the objective of the Governor at restoring the Ekiti values.

It also recommended that the Guidance and Counselling Unit of Schools be re-organized to meet the present day-to-day challenges of students in line with the modern society and school activities.