The Ondo State Government has rehabilitated and reoriented some students of Oyemekun Grammar School and Aquinas College, Akure, who were involved in wild and indecent jubilation after writing their final West African Senior School Certificate Examination papers.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Press Officer of the state Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Bisi Lawani, on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the rehabilitation programme, which was carried out during the holiday period, was organised by the ministry in collaboration with the Nigerian Correctional Service, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Ondo State Neuro-Psychiatric Specialist Hospital.
Speaking on the development, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, said the rehabilitation programme was aimed at correcting negative behaviours, instilling discipline and responsible conduct, and helping the students understand the consequences of actions capable of threatening public safety and disrupting peace in society.
He described the rehabilitation programme as a novel approach, stressing that the government deliberately chose counselling and rehabilitation rather than punitive measures that could negatively affect the future of the students.
Ajibefun assured the students and their parents that their names had been permanently removed from the Black Book, adding that their WASSCE certificates, which had previously been withheld, would also be released.
It was earlier reported that a few months ago, students of the two secondary schools featured in a viral video showing them on the streets, jubilating after completing their final papers and engaging in indecent acts, including tearing their uniforms and chanting inappropriate slogans, among others.
Following the incident, some of the students were arrested by the state government and made to undergo sanctions and rehabilitation.
