The Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), in its bid to ensure uniformity in the education system through the harmonized academic calendar in Lagos state begins the marking of schools that refused to comply with the Tuesday 4th January, 2022 resumption date.
The Director General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni led the agency monitoring team to assess schools’ level of compliance with resumption date, students’ presence and COVID-19 protocols. According to the Director General, part of the mandate of the OEQA is to develop a harmonized school calendar in conjunction with education stakeholders’ and also ensure compliance.
She explained that the 2021/2022 harmonized school calendar was developed in conjunction with stakeholders in June 2021 and was disseminated to all schools and schools associations to ensure equal educational standard and learning system.
The Director General who frowned at schools who feigned ignorance on the approved date of resumption said “Last term, it was observed that despite extensive sensitization on the importance of having a synchronized school calendar, many schools failed to comply with the mid-term break as mandated in accordance with the academic calendar. She also said “We are out again to monitor the level of compliance to Tuesday 4th January, 2022 resumption date but observed that the level of compliance could be better. What we are doing now is the placement of ‘Notice of Non Compliance’ stickers in schools that failed to adhere to the academic calendar and issuing them letters of invitation to our office in Alausa where necessary actions will be taken.”
During the monitoring process, she took her time to explain to school owners and representatives the importance of complying with the academic calendar which is to ensure that an equal system of learning in both public and private school is achieved.
She urges school owners to communicate effectively with parents to prepare their wards early as resumption draws close, stating that it takes an entire term to prepare for an upcoming term. The DG implores school owners to focus on values in schools as well as engaging parents, students and staff on the need to come to school prepared in order to have a strong start.
Olaniran Emmanuel
Public Affairs
OEQA