Teacher slumps and dies, colleagues blame stress

A teacher with the Olokinne High School, Ojowo, Ijebu Igbo in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mrs Oluwatosin Aina, reportedly slumped on the school and died.

The incident, reported by the Punch, was said to have happened on Thursday morning and has left the community in shock.

A source who said he was a close family friend said the late Aina reportedly drove herself to the school on Thursday and was said to have started feeling feverish moments after arriving the school.

The Grade Level 14 officer who teaches Christian Religious Knowledge was said to have gotten permission from the Principal to go take care of her health but slumped right beside her car.

She was said to have been rushed to the annex of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Ijebu Igbo of the state, where she was confirmed dead.

The incident reportedly threw the entire school into mourning, giving the dedication and love of the deceased to the students and colleagues.

Mrs Aina was said to be in her 50s and married to a retired Principal within Ijebu Igbo.

The source said, “Yes, I can confirm that the unfortunate incident happened on Thursday morning. I know her very well. I heard that she started feeling uncomfortable after getting to the school and got permission from her Principal to go and treat herself but slumped beside her car.

“She was confirmed dead at the hospital she was rushed to. She was a Christian Religious Knowledge teacher and married to a retired Principal. She should be in her 50s and either on Grade Level 13 or 14”

Also speaking, a teacher who works in the area and craved anonymity has, however, expressed concern over the rate at which teachers are dying in the state, insisting that the stress of having limited numbers of teachers is taking a toll on the health of the available few hands.

Reacting, the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Ogun State, Felix Agbesanwa, while commiserating with the family of the deceased teacher, said that the union was quite aware of the challenges of the lack of required numbers of teachers in the school.

Agbesanwa said, “We have a teacher shortage challenge. This week, the government commenced the employment of 2000 teachers. This is in addition to the 1000 OgunTeach interns who were given permanent employment recently.

“We really appreciate this gesture from the Governor and hope that other outstanding issues that will further aid the teacher’s wellbeing will be addressed just as the Governor has promised.”