The school in Osogbo, capital of Osun state, was Baptist Girls High School before the merging of schools by the immediate past Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, who changed it to Baptist High School, Gbodofon, after merging male students with them.
Students from other schools were also merged together with Baptist High School, thus making it School “A”, School “B” and School “C” with each having its Principal and Vice Principal in the same school.
Some teachers who pleaded not to be mentioned in print said, there was no peace in the school since male students were merged with the girls.
According to the teachers, it has also been difficult to recognize any student because of the large number and the same uniform they are now using.
The teachers said students from other schools have been coming to their school to cause trouble and they couldn’t be recognized because they all wear the same uniform.
It was gathered that the Peace Corps cadet have been maintaining peace by check mating the students, and restricting some of them from causing trouble some of the times.
But, on Wednesday November 13, the stubborn among the students overpowered the Peace Corps cadet in Baptist High School and chased them away from the school.
An eye witness revealed that the students have been complaining about the excesses of one of the Peace Corps popularly known as Adaripon until that Wednesday when the students came in their numbers and chase the cadet away with cutlasses and stones.
They were also said to have cut the tree that usually provide shade for the cadets and wrote inscription “No More Adaripon” on all the buildings and walls in the school.
The peace Corps cadet have thereafter vacated the school and none of them have returned till the Friday that fracas broke out.
It was gathered that the students mobilised their colleagues from outside the school on Friday 15, and started chasing teachers who they perceived that are supporting the cadets.
It however turned fracas when some bold teachers tried to restrict the irate students from causing mayhem in the school.
A source said the teachers have to face those students when they discovered that some teachers are being locked up by the students.
“We later saw four students who have sustained matchet injuries. We didn’t know how they got injury. Suddenly, other students who are likely to be their friends trooped out and started stoning the teachers.
“The Vice Principal of School ‘B’ was caught by the students and they nearly smatched his head with big stone. They broke his car and some other valuable things in the school.
“Teachers have to scamper for safety when the incident was beyond their power. The students were armed with cutlasses of different sizes and charms”, eye witness stated.
Government reacts
The state Commissioner for Education, Mr Oladoyin Folorunsho, who inspected the school, ordered immediate closure of the school because of the level of damages done by the students.
Oladoyin who expressed displeasure over the misconduct of the students ordered that the case should be thoroughly investigated and the culprit be brought to book.
The commissioner insisted that those caught in connection with the crisis would responsible for the payment of whatever be the estimate of the damaged properties.
22 students arrested
It was gathered that 22 students have been apprehended in connection with the crime.
According to a source, the arrested students have been locked up in the state police command.
Parents summoned
Meanwhile, parents of students in Baptist High School have been summoned to a meeting slated for Tuesday November 26. It was gathered that each parent would sign a form on behalf of their children, promising that their children would be obedient in school.
A source said any parent that fail to attend the meeting would have his child expelled from the school.
