The Lagos State Government has urged parents and students to prevent cultism and harassment of teachers and other school personnel in public institutions.
Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, made this statement on Tuesday while advising students on how to handle obstacles as teenagers in a decadent culture. He addressed at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education’s annual Ramadan Lecture at the Lagos State Secretariat Mosque in Alausa, Ikeja.
The Commissioner advised parents about the importance of paying attention to their children’s upbringing and returning to communal life, in which every adult assists in correcting children who cross the boundary of acceptable behaviour.
According to him, “Ramadan period is an opportunity to remind ourselves of the need to tackle bullying, cultism and harassment of teachers by students through the aid of miscreants”. He warned that Lagos State will not condone unruly behaviour in schools.
Alli-Balogun further advised that parents need to collaborate more with the teachers and schools so that moral decadence will be eradicated. He said once parents do the needful by paying rapt attention to their children and correcting them where necessary, then the work of teachers and schools will not be overwhelming.
He charged stakeholders in the education sector to use the opportunity of the spirituality that comes with Ramadan to change the narrative in training their wards. The Commissioner further stated that Muslim parents and students must take full advantage of the Ramadan period to pray for forgiveness of sins and seek Allah’s favour for their families, Lagos State and Nigeria.
He urged students and pupils in Lagos State public schools to always give their all in external examinations to justify the State’s investment in education. He also praised teachers for their excellent work and urged them to brace themselves even more to help Lagos State reclaim its position as the top performer in all external exams.
The Commissioner also praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration for ensuring that Lagos State continues to flourish and serves as a success model for other states.
The Guest Lecturer is Dr. Noah Lawal, a senior lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages. Lagos State University, Ojo, gave a detailed presentation on “Navigating the Challenges of Teenagers in Decadent Society; An Islamic Perspective.”He
He cited social vices that are indications of decadence, such as drug addiction, alcoholism, rape, kidnapping, cult disobedience, and examination malpractices, among others.
He also discussed the various challenges that teenagers face, such as peer group influence, get-rich-quick syndrome, poverty, and family dysfunction, which make it difficult for teenagers to focus on doing the right thing. He also advised parents on their responsibility to ensure proper upbringing and students to always draw the line between evil and values.