Liberty School Lekki offers aid to sacked teacher who turned street hawker

Liberty School Ikota in Lekki Lagos has offered financial aid to one of its sacked teachers who took to street hawking.

A video on social media showed a street hawker, now identified as Folake Olaleye, narrating how she was sacked from her teaching job.

Olaleye, who used to teach at Liberty School in Ikota, recounted her financial struggles since her sack which she described as unjust.

The Olive Tree Parish of the RCCG founded Liberty School Ikota under the leadership of Yemi Osinbajo, the former vice president.

The school offers free primary education, uniforms, books, and daily meals for children of underprivileged parents.

Olaleye alleged that the school’s head Ngozi Udochukwu, in 2019, sacked existing teachers in an act of nepotism and self-interest.

“I was a qualified teacher before. I have GCE and NCE. I’ve taught at Osinbajo’s school before, Free Liberty School in Ajah. It was when Osinbajo entered for the second term [as vice president] that they sacked us,” the ex-teacher said.

“Pastor Ngozi at Holy Spirit Parish sacked all the teachers and put her people. Since then, it has affected me. Even my pension is still there. I’m pleading with Osinbajo to settle it. I need my pension.”

Reacting to the footage, Liberty School issued a statement clarifying that Olaleye was sacked in 2020 after she failed a competency test.

“As part of a revitalization project in 2020, the management team, led by Pastor Ngozi Udochukwu as the Protem Head, played a vital role in enhancing the school’s quality and standards,” it said.

“The team implemented comprehensive competency tests for all teachers and retained only those who demonstrated the necessary proficiency. Regrettably, Ms. Olaleye did not pass the competency test.”

In the viral video, Olaleye is seen standing on the roadside with a bowl of drinks for sale sitting on her head.

She narrated to an interlocutor how she was starving and struggling to raise funds to pay for her children’s education.

The school’s management offered to give “compassionate” aid to Olaleye and enrol her children to alleviate her struggles.

“In addressing Ms. Olaleye’’s pension, while the scheme has specific age and eligibility conditions for access, both the school and the Church are committed to providing compassionate financial assistance,” it said.

“We will ensure that Ms. Olaleye receives, at a minimum, an amount equivalent to what she would have been entitled to under the pension scheme had she met the eligibility requirements.”

Liberty School did not however speak in detail about Olaleye’s allegedly withheld pension beyond mentioning an age requirement.