By Samuel Oyadongha
Yenagoa—Members of the Bayelsa College of Arts and Science branch of the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions of Nigeria, SSAUTHRIAI, and the state government may be heading for a showdown, over the handover of BYCAS Nursery and Junior Secondary arms of the institution to the state Ministry of Education.

The union, yesterday threatened to resist Governor Timipre Sylva’s directive that the institution be transferred to the Ministry of Education, saying that the move will compromise standard of the institution,  regarded as one of the best public schools in the state.

The state branch of SSAUTHRIAI, of the institution described the decision as uncalled for.
The management of the school, recently become a contentious issue, with the parties involved, the Ministry of

Education and the Management of BYCAS locked in dispute over who should be in charge.

SSAUTHRIAI cited the law establishing BYCAS,  which empowered the College to own her Nursery/Primary and Secondary schools respectively.

It described as an error,  the purported assertion that the Ministry established these schools and handed over to the College for the purpose of efficient and effective management.

However,  the state Commissioner for Education, Chief Josephine Ezonbodor in a memo to the Provost of the College,  stressed the need for compliance with the Governor’s directive on the hand over of the school to the Ministry.

The memo read, “this is to inform you that Governor Timipre Sylva has graciously approved the handing over of the Bayelsa State College of Arts and Science,  Nursery/Primary School, Junior Secondary Schools to the Ministry of Education.”

But SSAUTHRIAI faulted the directive,  arguing that its management was capable of effectively managing the schools or departments of the College. It called on the state government to allow the status quo to remain.

“The excellent achievements of the pupils and students of the school in both state and national competitions are undeniable and as a result of effective management and teaching. We, therefore, recommend our model to be adopted in the public schools.

“The Ministry of Education should work out modalities on improving the educational standards in the state and not being retrogressive. It  should also work towards a period where parents will withdraw their children/wards from private schools to public schools. We wish to state categorically that we are not employees of the Ministry of Education.

We will reject any attempt to hand over these schools to the Ministry of Education,” the union said.