Why Chrisland School Ikeja will remain closed Lagos govt

According to the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, Chrisland School in Ikeja, Lagos, will stay closed until the Lagos State government is certain that the lives of pupils there are not in danger and other safety issues have been resolved.

When the state government learned of the murder of Whitney Adeniran, a 12-year-old student at the school, on February 10, this year, it took a number of actions, according to a statement she signed yesterday.

Whitney Omodesola Adeniran, 12, died on February 10, 2023, according to a report obtained by the Lagos State administration. Whitney is said to have collapsed on February 9, 2023, during her school’s interhouse sports tournament.

The Lagos State Joint Taskforce, which consists of the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, the Ministry of Education, the Office of Education Quality Assurance, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, and the Lagos State Safety Commission, is in charge of implementing the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. The taskforce undertook several fact-finding missions.

“Officials paid a visit to the school’s grounds and Agege Stadium, where the inter-house sporting events were held. In order to express sympathy to them and reassure them of the state government’s commitment to making sure the circumstances surrounding the terrible tragedy are fully investigated, a condolence visit was made to Whitney’s family.

As the occurrence raises questions about children’s safety, the school was also closed to kids. The inquiry could proceed without interruption, and the closure gave everyone involved—parents, children, teachers, and friends of the deceased—time to mourn.

The Hon. Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice promptly ordered a coroner’s inquiry into the case to determine the cause of death due to the circumstances surrounding the child’s death. On February 14, 2023, a team from the Director-General Office of Education Quality Assurance met with the school administration to discuss how child safety procedures were followed during the preparation of the inter-house sporting event and in the wake of the regrettable incident. There were lapses, which were found.

“The autopsy was performed at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) on February 15, 2023, by Prof. S.S. Soyemi, Consultant Pathologist, in the presence of Dr. Samuel Keshinro, Consultant Pathologist, representing the deceased’s family, and Dr. O.O. Oyewole, Consultant Pathologist, representing Chrisland Schools.

“The Hon. Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice instructed that the Directorate of Public Prosecutions offer Legal Advice on the subject in light of the results of the autopsy report, dated March 1, 2023, which indicated the cause of death as hypoxia and electrocution.

On March 2, 2023, the Hon. Commissioner of the Ministry of Education led a delegation to express sympathy to Whitney’s family and to communicate to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu his dedication to seeing that Whitney receives justice.

The state government’s stance is that the secondary school will stay closed to further investigate student endangerment and other issues, without prejudice to the criminal procedures, according to the statement.

The commissioner assured everyone involved in the case that anybody found to be at fault would be held responsible and brought before the law.

Miniechat

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