Death Of 12 Year Old Pupil: Edo Govt Shut Down Schools Arrest Officials

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Edo State Government has  revoked the operating licenses of two private schools, in connection with the death of a 12 year old pupil.

Master Nathan Paul Spencer reportedly was swept away by flood while going to sit for Middle Basic Assessment Examination  on Saturday July 5.

This is as the authorities also shut down  two other schools  for allegedly extorting over 200 pupils, and diverting Government levies into private accounts.

The Head of the  School has equally been arrested for gross act of  negligence over the death of the teenager.

The Edo State Commissioner for Education, Paddy Iyamu, who made this known during a condolence visit to the family of the drowned minor, also promised that further action will be taken against the Schools and their Management.

“The Edo State Government has shut down two schools after a 12 year old pupil , Nathan Paul Spencer died while on his way to sit for the Middle Basic Assessment Examination on Saturday the 5th of July 2025.

” The tragedy occurred during a downpour that caused severe flooding in the area. An investigation revealed that the management of the pupil’s school had registered him to write the examination at a different school without informing his parents.

Furthermore, it was revealed that the Head of the School had taken the registration fee from Nathan’s parents in Ovia Local Government and had negligently taken the child to another school in Egor Local Government for the examination.

Tragically, Nathan fell into a gutter and drowned during the heavy rain when he was  (the Head teacher) was taking him ( pupil) from the Local Government to another” Iyamu stated.

While expressing Governor Monday Okpebholo’s sadness over the unfortunate incident, the Commissioner assured of the State Government’s commitment towards bringing to account all those whose actions and inactions culminated in the tragic death of the minor.

In another development, Iyamu informed that two other schools whose operating licenses have also been withdrawn were found to be collecting unapproved levies from unsuspecting pupils.

According to the Commissioner, such extortionist tendencies apart from fleecing pupils and parents, also tend to negatively impact the internally generated revenue profile of the State.

He alleged that two schools connived to collect money from over 200 pupils without getting the required approval in their quest to divert the payment into accounts other than those of the State Government.

However, the underhand dealings backfired when the affected pupils became stranded during the examination, and were only rescued by the Ministry of Education.

The Commissioner, therefore, appealed to parents and guardians not to leave the fate of their wards solely in the hands of those he called hustlers masquerading as school officials.

Earlier, the parents of the deceased pupil had informed the Commissioner of Education that  they were completely unaware of the arrangements made for their child to go and sit for the examination in a different local council from where his school is situated.