Less than 24 hours after the legal advice from the Director Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Lagos State Government on Thursday gave the management of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, conditions to be met before the school will be reopened for academic activities.

The conditions were stated in a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr. Ganiu Lawal, titled: Dowen College: Aftermath Of DPP advice, Ministry of Education directs school to fix administrative lapses, set to review boarding school guidelines.

The statement said the Ministry of Education has directed the management of Dowen College, Lekki to correct identified lapses in the school’s administration discovered during the ministry’s inspection and comprehensive investigation following the death of a student, Sylvester Oromoni.

The ministry was reacting to the advice of DPP to the police that Oromoni’s death could not be linked to alleged bullying, thus exonerated the five arrested students, staff and the college.

Lawal said that the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, while clarifying the fate of Dowen College students in view of the resumption of schools for the second term in Lagos State disclosed that the ministry was reviewing the operational guidelines of boarding schools and the requirement for establishing a boarding school in Lagos State.

She hinted that the ministry would begin the revalidation of all existing boarding school facilities after the mid-term holidays.

The education commissioner said the ministry’s departments and agencies responsible for monitoring and inspection of schools are being overhauled to improve efficiency.

She concluded that Dowen College management has been mandated to fix school governance gaps and other regulatory issues, adding that “we will consider the possibility of reopening the school only when all issues surrounding school administration have been appropriately attended to,” Adefisayo said.

Lagos State Government in December 3, 2021 ordered the closure of Dowen College, indefinitely following the death of Sylvester Oromoni, who was beaten to death by fellow students.

The education commissioner, Mrs. Adefisayo announced the closure after she met with the school management and staff. She revealed the college will remain shut until the completion of the investigations by the police.

(Daily Sun)

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