The Edo State Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights has faulted the Ministry of Education over reports that teachers in public schools were allegedly directed to cut grass and perform menial tasks.
The group expressed its displeasure in a statement released on Monday, the 1st of September, 2025, in Benin City. The statement was jointly signed by the Coordinator General, Marxist Kola Edokpayi, and the Secretary General, Comrade Aghatise Raphael.
According to the coalition, the role of teachers does not include gardening, cleaning, or janitorial duties. It warned that compelling them to engage in such work amounts to a violation of human rights and an attack on the dignity of the teaching profession.
The coalition threatened to stage protests and pursue legal action if the state government does not put an end to the practice. It also called for the employment of support staff such as gardeners and cleaners, stressing that these workers should be properly remunerated to handle school maintenance.
In its words, “The Edo State Civil Society Coalition For Human Rights is outraged by the disgraceful and demeaning practice of compelling teachers in Edo public schools to cut grass and perform menial labour at the directive of the Ministry of Education.
“This is not only an insult to the teaching profession but also a blatant violation of human rights and labour ethics.
“Teachers are the backbone of society and nation-builders entrusted with shaping the minds of our children.
“Reducing them to gardeners and cleaners is a shameful act of abuse and a slap in the face of every hardworking educator in Edo State.
“We state clearly that teachers are not slaves, and schools are not forced labour camps. This backward practice belongs to the dark past and must never be tolerated in a state that claims to value education.
“Any nation that treats its teachers with contempt is preparing its own burial ground. Forcing teachers into menial labour is not education reform, it is educational slavery.”
The group went further to cite Section 34 (1)(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provides that “no person shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.”
It accused the ministry of breaching this constitutional safeguard by making teachers do work outside their professional mandate.
Referencing Governor Monday Okpebholo’s earlier promise to prioritise teachers, the group recalled his words: “we will place teachers on top priority, and we’ll reverse the shortage of teachers through continuous recruitment of qualified teachers.
“To work is to pray, but we insisted that the sacred work of a teacher is to teach, not to clear bushes. Forcing them otherwise is against the law and will not be tolerated.
“An injury to one teacher is an injury to all. Edo State must respect its teachers or face the resistance of its people.”
The coalition urged the government to ensure transparency in the use of funds earmarked for school maintenance rather than shifting the responsibility to teachers.
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Responding, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, clarified that available reports indicated the activity was not compulsory but a voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) effort from some teachers.
His response came in a statement titled “To Stakeholders in the Education Ecosystem: RE: Edo Civil Society raises concern over teachers in some schools being asked to do menial maintenance jobs.”
Iyamu revealed that the ministry had launched a full-scale investigation into the allegations to determine the facts and address any irregularities.
He stated: “The attention of the Edo State Ministry of Education has been drawn to a publication by a civil society group alleging that teachers are being told to cut grass and engage in menial jobs to maintain their respective schools on the directive of the Ministry.
“While stating that the Edo State Government remains resolute in upholding the rights and privileges of all, we also encourage our teachers to remain strong and focused on academic excellence as the future of our country depends on them.
“Teachers’ priority is transfer of learning, so we want to discourage in very strong terms teachers forcibly engaging in or being used to engage in tasks that do not directly correlate with strengthening knowledge gap and learning outcomes.”
The commissioner further urged the public to be wary of individuals trying to smear the ministry’s image because of ongoing reforms.
He added that the Okpebholo-led government had shown commitment to teachers’ welfare through wage increases, conversion of casual teachers to full staff after three years, provision of teachers’ quarters in some schools, and continuous training opportunities.