Old girls scheming to sack Queen’s College principal – PTA

Less than 48 hours to the submission of the report of a Federal Government’s panel set up to investigate an allegation of sexual assault levelled against a Biology teacher at Queen’s College, Lagos, the Parent-Teacher Association of the school has accused the old girls’ association of plotting to remove the principal, Dr. Lami Amodu, and replace her with one of them.

The PTA and the Queen’s College Old Girls’ Association have differed on the allegations. While the PTA described the allegations against the teacher, Mr. Olaseni Oshifala, as baseless, the QCOGA had in a statement argued that the allegations were not “unfounded”.

According to the PTA, a faction of the QCOGA, led by one Mrs. Laila St. Mathew-Daniels, is determined to install a deputy director from the Federal Ministry of Education, whom they said was an ‘old girl’.

While saying the news briefing was not meant to pre-empt the outcome of the Federal Government panel, the PTA added that Chinenye Okoye, the purported parent, who accused Oshifala of molesting her daughter, had yet to surface.

The PTA chair, Mrs. Beatrice Akhetuamen, in company with five other parents of the school, said this on Tuesday in Lagos.

Akhetuamen stated, “It baffles me why a section of the old girls are bent on denting the image of the college. I was in a meeting with the ‘old girls’ and they almost lynched me because I was saying the truth.

“The ‘old girls’ are about to have the principal removed. We learnt that they want to have her removed because the principal is a Muslim and a northerner. But why can’t we tolerate one another if this indeed is a unity college?

“I am restating it here that once this faceless parent comes out with her facts, we will stand behind her and fight for her. If she cannot come out, let her husband come out. If she was bold enough to go to the social media, she should be bold enough to substantiate her claims. She should come out with her daughter’s school file number and all receipts.’’

Another parent, Mr. Richard Ugwuka, added that he would not support the transfer of the teacher unless he was found guilty of the allegations.

Ugwuka added, “If he is found innocent, I would not want him transferred because QC would be losing a good hand. Biology is a subject where our children have been getting excellent grades. If he is not found guilty and is transferred, what that means is that anybody, who has an axe to grind with anybody, can just send a letter to the social media.”

“We should watch what we do. What that means is that there is now a method to deal with somebody once you do not like his or her face.

“We are getting to a point where young intelligent male teachers will be avoiding Queen’s College because they will not want to be accused falsely and have their career destroyed. There are key science areas like biology, physics and chemistry and teachers in this subject are on the decline. When you have a good one, you do not let such a teacher go because of any unproven allegation.

“We have said it again and again, if Oshifala is found guilty, let him be sacked and jailed.”

However, when our correspondent contacted St. Mathew-Daniels, she failed to respond to the claims made by the PTA.




Punch