The All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the automatic promotion of primary five and six pupils to Junior Secondary School (JSS) by Edo Government.
Mr Victor Osehobo, the state APC Assistant Publicity Secretary said this in a statement in Benin on Thursday.
The state government had in October 2020, approved automatic promotion for pupils in primary five and six across the state to JSS class at the end of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Osehobo said that the pupils should have been made to sit for the First School Leaving Certificate (FSCL) examination before their promotion.
“The APC rejects any attempt by the government to manipulate the state educational system, frustrate teachers, parents and guardians by cancelling the 2020 FSLC for primary five and six pupils.
“Specifically, we reject the use of automatic promotion for primary five and six pupils into junior secondary schools in the wake of the nationwide lockdown due to Coronavirus pandemic.
“The APC is hereby alerting the people on this, because it will only serve to deprive the 2020 generation of primary five and six pupils of their FSLC,” he said.
Osehobo said that the importance of FSCL in child’s life could not be overemphasised, adding that it was the child’s foundation certificate which qualify him for admission into JSS.
He also said that the APC believe that education offer children a ladder out of poverty and a path to a promising future.
“We are aware that many states like Lagos, Delta, Ondo, Anambra and Kaduna conducted their First School Leaving Certificate examination as far back as March 2020 and Edo is yet to do so.
“It is therefore unacceptable that the government will be contemplating the cancellation of the 2020 FSLC examination in the state.
“We call on the government to immediately set up a task force as soon as academic activities return on Feb. 1, to organise the examination.
“This is necessary because in a matter of weeks, the 2021 edition of the same examination will also be due,” Osehobo said.
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