FGC Odogbolu authorities’ feud with PTA deepens

There appears to be no end in sight to the face-off between authorities of the Federal Government College, Odogbolu, Ogun State, and the chairman of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), Mrs Chiyere Itesi.

Right now, matter appear to have reached a head as Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) of the college after its emergency congress of Tuesday, June 9th, said it may be compelled to suggest to the Federal Ministry of Education that ask Itesi to withdraw her child/ward from the college for her alleged “lack of respect for constituted authority.”

The 2009/2011 executive committee of the PTA was dissolved on July 3rd, 2011 due to the questionable handling of two projects- a lawn tennis and a volleyball court, which were unused after gulping a whooping N6m.

Itesi, a strong voice at that above-mentioned meeting was unanimously appointed by parents as caretaker committee chairperson, to organise another election. The parents went on to vote her in as the substantive chairperson on 16th October 2011.

But no sooner had she assumed office than trouble started, owing to her refusal to consent to certain demands on the PTA by the school authority, without due process being followed.

Itesi, whose committee spearheaded the employment of over 40 academic and non-academic staff, which it also pays their salaries, also stood against arbitrarily jerking up of PTA charges and the upward review of seating allowances for affected persons.

These and many other reasons, perhaps irked the school authorities, which began moves to ease Itesi out of office. This was after advancing a litany of allegations against her.

For instance, principal of the school, Mrs. A.N. Bassey-Duke, speech she delivered at the general meeting of the National Association of Parents and Teachers of Federal Government Colleges (NAPTAFEGC), Odogbolu unit held on June 9, 2014 at the school’s assembly hall, alleged that the school authorities started having trouble with Mrs. Itesi, “As soon as she came in, … because she saw herself as an executive chairman. Without consulting with me she reeled out her plans for the school at the inaugural meeting. This was completely at variance with my own request at the meeting.

At subsequent meetings, we were never on the same page as she always had her own agenda, which was not in consonance with the needs of the college…”

Bassey-Duke, who further alleged that Itesi “made people feel I had too much control over the PTA … slashed the PTA bill of N10, 500 by the last executive to N5, 500 without proper consultation with other members of the executive,” added, “she was never ready to come down for executive meetings even when it was necessary. She alleged we were spending too much money on seating allowance. She wanted me to take decisions with her through telephone conversation but I insisted on conference so that we could have records of the meetings and reach an agreement that would work for all.”

However, in what appears to be a sustained effort to get Itesi out of office, the ASCSN at its emergency congress of Tuesday, June 9th, 2015 resolved as follows: “That all well-meaning parents and stakeholders should prevail on Mrs. Itesi Chinyere; to withdraw all legal actions instituted against the school, the Federal Ministry of Education and our colleagues; allow peace to reign by releasing all account documents in her possession to enable the smooth running of the NAPTAFEGC of the college unit before it affects the generality of the students’ education in F.G.C. Odogbolu.

They also resolved that Mrs. Itesi should realise that she is just a parent among many parents and other stakeholders and as such, cannot hold the association and the college to ransom; that the Federal Ministry of Education under the supervision of the Minister of Education, still remain and would remain the chief moderator of federal unity colleges; that Mrs. Itesi Chinyere should also realise that these unpaid part-time teachers are rendering selfless services to the students while they are facing financial embarrassment.

The communiqué, of which a copy was obtained by The Guardian, advised parents to prevail on Mrs. Itesi “to abide by our decision before resumption from mid-term break, otherwise, the ASCSN, Academic Staff Welfare Association (ASWA) and Non-Teaching Staff Welfare Association (NTSWA) of FGC, Odogbolu, may be compelled to suggest to the ministry that she withdraws her child/ward from the college for her lack of respect for constituted authority.”