BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
The management, staff and students of 12 Apostles College, Ndiaborishiagu Sharon in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State were recently thrown into confusion when the parents of a teenage SS3 female student stormed the school to report that their daughter had been impregnated by one of her male classmates.
The parents, named Mr. and Mrs. Johnson Oginyi, said that a pregnancy test carried out on their daughter (name withheld), showed that she was two months pregnant. They claimed that the girl was put into a family way at school by a male student from Nsukka, Enugu State.
The aggrieved parents threatened to institute a legal action against the school management for negligence, stating that the authority failed to keep close watch over their 17-year-old daughter while in their custody as a boarder.
The parents, who are from Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, in an interview with The Point, expressed disappointment in the school management. They alleged that the school failed to take good care of the students under their care.
They, therefore, advised the Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, Most Rev. Peter Chukwu, under whose management the school is, to ensure that priests who have requisite education management skills are appointed to administer mission schools in the area.
The aggrieved father of the pregnant girl alleged that the school Principal, Rev. Fr. Joseph Origbo, had no knowledge of proper school management.
“Her life plans changed. A baby is now expecting a baby? No! That’s unacceptable! The pregnancy test showed that she is already two months gone. We shall slug it out in court. How can I pay almost N200, 000 as school fees in the quest for excellence and my child will not be well supervised?
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As a result of this, he called for the return of the pioneer Principal of the school, Rev. Fr. Gabriel Enogu, who he said had been transferred eight months ago.
He said, “I got my three children enrolled in different classes in 2018 into this college because of its high moral standard and academic excellence under the pioneer Principal. My other two children had excellently graduated but this last one, a minor, has now been put into the family way by a fellow minor. I will sue the college management for tarnishing my family’s image and dragging our name in the mud by failing in its responsibilities.
“The management neglected its duties to the hyperactive teenagers kept under its tutelage, care and supervision. Her education is now jeopardised. Her life plans changed. A baby is now expecting a baby? No! That’s unacceptable! The pregnancy test showed that she is already two months gone. We shall slug it out in court. How can I pay almost N200, 000 as school fees in the quest for excellence and my child will not be well supervised?
“I had gone to the college two times to officially report the matter to the principal but he was not on seat and I could not also reach him on phone for two weeks now, hence, my resolve to sue the management.”
A source in the school, who does not want his name in print, told The Point that since the transfer of the pioneer principal in September, 2021, there had been a regression in the standard of the college with negative things being recorded.
“Some unusual things have happened in the college since eight months ago. Twice, female students had been bitten by snakes in the hostel as the usual fumigation of the school compound had been stopped. Lack of adequate monitoring and supervision of the students led to male students entering female hostels.”
Efforts to reach the college management and the Commissioner for Education in the state, Sunday Nwangele, for reaction were not fruitful as at press time.
