By Okey Alozie
Imo State Secondary Education Management Board SEMB is in serious crisis now over alleged age adjusted, undue retirement and other related issues.
The crisis rocking Imo SEMB may escalate into big trouble which is most likely to consume top officials of the Board and some government officials.
Report has it that the crises started when good number of SEMB staff, teachers and principals submitted their retirement documents for screening and in the process were alleged victimized by those in authority.
Information revealed that while many brought their birth certificates, first school Leaving Certificates, Appointment Letters and other important documents, others were unable to produce theirs because they want to cover up their ages and remain in the system.
Another issue that escalated the crises at SEMB was the retirement of over 90 SEMB staff few weeks ago and those affected described the action as a plan to wicked those who are not in the good book of the Executive Secretary adding that the retirement was not done in good faith. The victims complained against SEMB management for selecting those they want out of the system and push them for retirement while those who are close to the top officials are favored even when it was reported that their hands are not clean.
One of the victims who spoke to our roving reporter under strict anonymity hinted that many SEMB staff who took their First School Leaving Certificate of Education (FSLCE) in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 are still in the system and were not retired because of their relationship with those in authority. “Even when the government gazzated white paper recommend dismissal for some of the Directors and principals, yet they were not touched at all”.
The aggrieved principal who said that they were victimized by SEMB have complained to the leadership of Nigeria Union of Teacher and Imo government House. Some of the affected principals as we further learnt have petitioned Imo State House of Assembly and Government House on the alleged age adjustment, undue retirement, selection and salary withheld. Any moment from now as we also gathered, investigative panel will be set up for the truth to ascertained. Concerned Imolites want the 3R government in Imo State to adopt the recommendation of government white paper on downsizing and rightsizing to fish out those who are still hiding their retirement. They also want the law makers to invite the SEMB boss for more explanation on her actions.
Findings revealed that the worst hit in the retirement saga are principals from Owerri zone and Okigwe Zone. Our source from SEMB headquarters disclosed that the Executive Secretary few day ago held meeting with the victims especially those alleged to be retired by the office of Head of Service.
Our source further hinted that the retired principals were told to accept their retirement in good faith as elongation of service which they are expecting to get is not automatic “Accept your retirement and then apply for continuation in the system” SEMB advised.
We gathered also that those retired principals that will come back for continuity in the system may be assign to work as classroom teachers and not as principals again. The victims and their family members had insisted that the condition for recent retirement should be made public, adding that the retirement was based on selective method.
On the issue of salary withheld the affected staff who are yet to receive their salary for months now are asking where is the unpaid money going into “Is it in the purse of the government or elsewhere”, the victims questioned.
On the issue of alleged hiding of retirement documents, accusing finger is pointed at principals of Ikenegbu girls secondary school, Orji secondary school and Emekuku Comprehensive. Our investigative team will visit the mentioned schools for fact finding and our finding will be reported in the next edition.
One of the principals who was uploaded from Imo State Universal Basic Education according to information available to us revealed that the principal in question whose names were withheld is yet submit her retirement documents for record purposes.
Aggrieved principals are also demanding that the principals of the schools mentioned above should be properly investigated to ascertain their proper ages. “Their physical appearance showed that they are not young ladies” the aggrieved parents declared. SEMB should also be investigated for the payment of centrally set papers, SEND-OFF party money and other alleged illegal collections going on in secondary schools” Parents demanded.
