The Ogun State Government has assured parents and residents that academic activities have fully resumed in public schools affected by the recent methane gas emissions in Ijebu-Ode, with learners now relocated to safer locations within their respective school compounds.
Speaking on Wednesday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, the State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, confirmed that all students have returned to school following temporary adjustments made to ensure their safety.
Clarifying concerns that only students in terminal classes had resumed, Arigbabu explained that although SS3 students writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) were initially relocated to other schools, all learners have since resumed classes within safe sections of their school premises.
According to the commissioner,” when parents raised the issue, we had to listen to them, and then we put in place measures that will at least give them a bit of comfort. So by saying, let everybody go home first, then we started looking at the situation. Those who are writing examinations, which for us we consider maybe very important, that is the WAEC exam, we said, okay, they should relocate to another school. The ones in AGGS, we relocated them to Adeola Odutola College. And then we relocated the ones in OLASS, we relocated them to Ijebu Muslim College. So that was just for SS3 students and as we speak now, SS3 students have finished their exams. We have more space in the school. After that, we now asked from this Monday, we said all other learners should come back to school.”
Recall that the Gas emissions was reportedly said to be triggered by a major underground fault line have broken out for a third time in the Mojoda axis of Ogun State, sickening and hospitalising over 200 students and teachers from nearby missionary schools like Our Lady of Apostles and Anglican Girls Grammar School. The toxic underground seepage, which chemical analysts clocked at dangerous peak methane levels of 13,500 parts per million, caused victims to experience severe dizziness and fainting spells before being rushed to the Ijebu-Ode General Hospital.
In response to the crisis, the Ogun State Ministry of Environment has permanently shut down the affected schools until further notice, banned all local borehole drilling and quarry blasting, and urged residents to call the emergency health hotline or use wet handkerchiefs over their noses to prevent suffocation.
Meanwhile, the commissioner disclosed that despite the government’s initial directive for students to remain at home, many learners had continued reporting to school, where teachers had been informally engaging them in safer areas: “In fact, I should let you know that, when parents maybe cry out and say this and that, let them stay at home. It will interest you to know that those learners never stayed at home. Despite our instructions, I got to school one day. I met them there. Of course, the teachers were in school. You know, teachers will be in school no matter what. So I now asked, why are these ones in school? They said they’ve been coming.And then they’ve been trying to teach them in some safe places. Okay. And I said, okay, if that is the case, why don’t we activate this?Put them in safe places in the school,” he said.
According to Arigbabu, investigations have shown that the methane emission is concentrated in a specific section of the affected schools rather than the entire premises, making it possible to isolate the affected areas while learning continues elsewhere: “Because the emission, when it happens, it’s only heavy in certain part of the school. Just a particular location of the school. So it is not as if they won’t still perceive the odor, even people in town perceive the odor too but it’s very light and not something to worry about. And since we have ambulances in some schools. And we have other officers, environmental officers, and so on. We know it will be safe.So, that particular area that is actually in question is being cut off so that learners will not have to go to that area. And then, they have been moved to these safe places.” he stated.
The commissioner stressed that all students are currently receiving lessons within the affected schools. He said: “So, as we speak now, all the schools. I mean, all the students are in their schools. But, in the safer places. Because SS3 students have left school. So, we have more space. So, we are able to move them to those locations. And next week, when JS3 will also finish, there will be more space in the school. Which means, we can redistribute these learners better.”
Arigbabu urged residents not to panic, saying the government remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted learning while experts continue investigating the source of the methane emissions.
“Because problems are made for man. So, this problem has come. We should not just feel defeated and say our children should stay at home.And they will not go to school. So, we have to find a safe place to continue teaching them.”
Arigbabu said the methane emission should not be viewed solely as a challenge affecting a few schools, noting that findings so far indicate it is a broader environmental issue impacting the wider Ijebu-Ode community: “It is about the whole town.You know when something happens in a community, it might be a source. But if the thing is affecting the entire community, you don’t limit it to the source alone.So which means it is a problem that should be tackled headlong. So the government is not looking at it as a school problem. And unfortunately, it happens in two of our schools. Well, actually three of them because Saint Anthony Grammar School, Esure is also affected. So we are looking at it holistically,” he said.
He stressed that the state government is therefore adopting a comprehensive approach to address the situation, while also dispelling speculations and misinformation surrounding the cause of the emissions: “So the intention is to solve the problem well. Find out what the problem is. And what should be done to mitigate it. It is a natural occurrence. Because some people are saying maybe it is a terrorist attack or something but it is a natural occurrence”, he said.
The commissioner further expressed optimism that the approaching end of the academic term would provide government and relevant agencies with sufficient time to complete ongoing investigations and implement lasting safety measures before students resume for the next term.
“Fortunately for us, the school is going towards the end of the term. So that will give us ample time. You know, there will be holidays for about 8 weeks.
So that will give us ample time to also have taken place all the measures that will help us ensure that the school will be safe.” he assured.
He added that the state is also prepared to sustain learning through technology if physical schooling becomes impossible.
“So, of course, we have the AI-powered learning platform that we have activated.Which, even if it becomes impossible to go to school, we can actually continue teaching and learning. Our teachers been trained about how to use this platform.” the commissioner assured.
