By Praise Chinecherem
Anambra State government has announced immediate closure of the Blessed Wisdom Model School at number 26 Ide Drive Federal Housing Estate Onitsha, Anambra State.
The closure followed report to the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh about a two-year old pupil, Ifechukwu Davida Egbuninwe who sustained grievous bodily harm.
According to the report, the victim broke her arm and sustained injuring on her tongue under mysterious circumstance yet to be explained.
The report reads partly, “The proprietress of the school never reached out to the parents and/or guardian of the child to inform them of her injury nor was first aid treatment administered to her when she sustained the said injury.
“Again, the said proprietress failed and/or refused to reach out at any point to the family of the victim to ascertain the welfare of the said victim.
“They continued carrying on their school business as if the life of the said Ifechukwu Davida Egbuniwe meant nothing.”
Reacting, Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh condemned the irreverence attitude to human life by the school management.
She frowned at the school’s Proprietress disobedience and blatant refusal to appear before her when invited on Friday for explanation in the presence of the child, her parents and their Lawyer.
“This failure to appear on the part of the Proprietress led to the decision to close down the school. Every child belongs to the State, we cannot condone irreverence to human life” Chuma-Udeh warned.
While calling on officers of State Joint Enforcement Team to ensure strict compliance to the closure order, the Commissioner directed that the school remain closed till Governor Chukwuma Soludo directed otherwise.
She further disclosed setting up of a seven man committee to investigate the matter, advising the Proprietress to ensure she appeared before the panel for explanation or risk arrest and prosecution over failure.
