NNPP Advocates for 4-Day School Week Amidst to Economic Strain

As schools in Osun State gear up to resume on Tuesday, September 17, Pharmacist Muslihudeen Adekilekun, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate for the Ede/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency in the 2023 elections, has called for a reduction in school days to four per week. This proposal is in response to the economic difficulties caused by the recent increase in fuel prices.

Speaking at the Annual Education Summit organized by Premier College of Education in Awo, Egbedore Local Government Area, Adekilekun stated that such a measure could significantly relieve the financial pressure on families caused by the "inept" governance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the federal level.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) recently raised petrol pump prices from approximately ₦617 to ₦897 per litre, with some independent retailers selling at prices between ₦997 and ₦1,300, depending on location.

Adekilekun urged Governor Ademola Adeleke to reduce the school week from five days to four, emphasizing that many families would not benefit from the rice palliatives being distributed, and reducing school days would help alleviate the general economic burden.

"In situations where the cost of fuel or transportation to school surpasses school fees and book expenses, a responsible government must act by reducing school days. We implemented this during the Covid pandemic, so why not during this poverty pandemic?" Adekilekun said.

He also commended the Osun State Government for its ongoing teacher recruitment efforts, a process he described as long overdue. He praised the Ministry of Education for prioritizing merit in hiring, unlike previous administrations that hired unqualified party affiliates.

Parents at the summit expressed support for the idea, agreeing that fewer school days would help ease the financial strain, especially as they continue to cope with rising costs of food, school supplies, and fees.