Lawyer writes education minister over alleged discrimination against admission seeker
By Taiye Agbaje
Matthew Burkaa, SAN, counsel to Mrs Ogooluwa Aondo, has petitioned Minister of Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, over alleged discrimination in offering admission to Caleb, son to his client by Loyola Jesuit College (LJC) in Abuja.
Burkaa, in the letter dated May 17 and a copy made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja, urged the minister to intervene in the matter.
He expressed disappointment over the way Caleb was disqualified after his successful performance.
The lawyer said that Caleb had a successful performance in the 2024/2025 JSS1 Entrance Examination and was ranked 29th out of approximately 6,000 students.
He said the 11-year-old boy was allegedly denied admission after encountering obstacles in the cause of payment and admission confirmation process.
He contended that Caleb met all requirements, including excelling in the interview process, yet faced undue barriers in securing his place at the prestigious institution.
The senior lawyer, therefore, called for the restoration of Caleb’s admission within seven days, along with the return of his personal belongings held by the school.
He said Caleb’s constitutional rights must be upheld and the principle of equal educational opportunities for all students, regardless of background or ethnicity, must be ensured.
According to him, there is a need for accountability and the protection of students’ rights in Nigeria’s education system.
“The family of Master Caleb Aondo is seeking a directive from the Ministry to Loyola Jesuit College to reverse its decision preventing Caleb from paying the registration fee less than 24 hours before the deadline, despite his successful admission for the 2024/2025 academic session.”
Burkaa also demanded that the school should return the aggrieved student’s birth certificate to his guardians for safekeeping.
When the school was contacted, a security officer, who simply identified herself as Deborah, acknowledged that the school was in receipt of the letter.
She, however, said the principal who was expected to respond to the inquiry had travelled outside the country.(NAN)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza
