Teachers did not participate in 'derogatory' chant, says Calabar board

The Board of Calabar High School says teachers did not participate in the chanting of derogatory slurs directed at rivals Kingston College during a session of the school’s assembly on Monday.

The session was captured on video, which has gone viral.

According to the board, the acting principal, who was present at the assembly, took immediate action and stopped the offensive chant once he became aware.

The board says it finds the conduct deeply abhorrent and not in keeping with the school's values, ethos, and principles.

It says it has since taken remedial action.

Full Statement

The Board has become aware of videos being circulated which depict students of Calabar High School chanting derogatory slurs during a session of the school’s assembly on Monday April 1, 2019.

The board finds this content deeply abhorrent and not in keeping with the values, ethos and principles that we have upheld as a church school for over a century.

We have since taken the following action:

* An investigation was immediately launched into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

* A discussion was had with the Principal of Kingston College (KC).

* A written apology was sent to the staff and students of KC.

*The school will lead a delegation of teachers and students to Kingston College tomorrow April 3, 2019, to participate in their devotion and to publicly offer the apology to the staff and students.

* The School’s leadership has met with the entire school population and conveyed its strong condemnation of the utterances which can only be described as disturbing, distasteful, vulgar and not in keeping with the positive values and attitudes that we try to instill in our young men at Calabar.

*Members of the Board met with the Minister without Portfolio with Responsibility for Education, the Minister of State in the Education Ministry, the Acting Permanent Secretary and the Chief Education Officer, to ensure that this matter receives full and urgent attention.

Preliminary reports so far indicate that the teachers present were not party to the unfortunate utterances, which took place during the regular chanting of school cheers. In fact the acting principal, who was also present, took immediate action and stopped the offensive chant once he became aware of the content.

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