Adebayo Adenrele
…says education is free
Ekiti State Government has called on parents and guardians of students
in public schools in the State to immediately report any principal,
teacher or any staff demanding for payments under any guise to the
State Ministry of Education.
The State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Bimpe Aderiye who
made the call in Ado Ekiti, stressed that the State Government is
still operating free and compulsory education for children up to SS3,
adding that nobody is permitted to collect anything from the students
under any pretense.
Dr. Aderiye said that principals and teachers in all public secondary
schools have been repeatedly warned against charging or collecting any payment from students, noting that unfortunately, purportedly affected parents had not been forthcoming with the call to report any request for illegal levy or fees.
Reiterating the commitment of the Biodun Oyebanji administration to
the welfare of the people, Aderiye explained that the free education
policy was introduced to provide easy access to education by all
school-age children and ensure that they get well prepared for
adulthood.
Aderiye assured that the administration remained committed to the provision of conducive teaching and learning environment in schools in the State, stressing that Government ensures prompt payment of running grants to public primary and secondary school teachers while the WAEC
examination fees are also fully paid amongst other interventions.
She therefore appealed to parents and guardians not to allow
themselves to be defrauded by promptly reporting any untoward demand to appropriate authority.