Twenty students were picked up on the streets during school hours in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, for loitering, as confirmed in a statement from the state Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development on Thursday.

Addressing the students and their parents, the Ministry’s Commissioner, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, warned the students against loitering during school hours and urged them to focus on their education to achieve their parents’ aspirations. She also encouraged parents to remain actively involved in their children’s education to ensure they stay on track.

Kawu reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to providing quality and inclusive education to all children, especially those from indigent backgrounds, to help them succeed.

In another development, the state government expressed dissatisfaction with the unruly behavior exhibited by students of Government Day Secondary School, Adeta, and Government High School, Adeta, in Ilorin. The principals of the two schools reported ongoing tension between the schools, which had been managed for nearly a decade.

Kawu conducted an unscheduled visit to the schools on Wednesday to investigate the cause of the unrest. She expressed disappointment with both the students’ behavior and the school management for failing to immediately report the situation to the Ministry.

The commissioner assured the schools of government intervention and urged the students to change their attitudes and focus on their studies. She also praised the teachers for their dedication and emphasized the importance of adhering to government policies to improve the education sector.

Kawu emphasized that education is a top priority for the state government, and she urged the students to represent the state positively. The principals of both schools, Hajia Fausat Ishola of Government Day Secondary School, Adeta, and Mallam Waheed Issa of Government High School, Adeta, commended the state government’s efforts in revitalizing the education sector. They appealed for the reconstruction of the schools’ perimeter fencing to prevent students from loitering.

The students, expressing remorse, promised that such behavior would not be repeated.