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Most of the private and public schools in Lagos State were under lock and key on Tuesday, following the work-free day declared by the State Government to commemorate June 12.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lagos state government on Monday declared June 12 a work-free day, in recognition of the June 12, 1993 presidential election which was annulled by the then military ruler, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.
The election was widely believed to have been won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola, the then publisher of the National Concord newspapers, who was the presidential candidate of the now defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP).
NAN reports that as a result of the late dissemination of information on the work-free day, some schools, however, opened for business as usual on Tuesday, but later asked their pupils to return home.
Some pupils were seen in their school uniforms in some parts of Surulere, Okota, Ijegun, Alagbado and Abule-Egba.
NAN also observed that some private school buses were seen conveying pupils to school, but were later directed to return the pupils to their various homes.
At the Comprehensive High School, Ijegun, students were seen playing at the entrance of the school, long after they were asked to return to their various homes.
Mr Austin Agali, a teacher at the Prevailers Private Schools, Ijegun, told NAN that pupils were asked to come to school on Tuesday because the school authority did not receive information on the work-free day early enough.
``We got the information about the work-free day after school hours on Monday and by then we have told our students that whatever happened, they should come to school today.
``We have sent the students back home, in compliance with the state government's directive on June 12,`` he said.
A parent, Mrs Christiana Chukwu, told NAN that June 12 should be declared a public holiday to save children the stress of going to school, only to be sent back home the next minute.
Chukwu said that government should include June 12 in the school calendar as a holiday.
``The school bus came to pick my children to school because they didn't have information about the holiday, but I was surprised some hours later to see my children back home.
``Government and the private school authorities should always work together as partners for the common good of the pupils,`` she said. (NAN)
