Fayemi warns principals, headmasters on illegal fees

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has insisted education remained free in the state, with a warning to school heads to desist from collecting unapproved fees.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Olayinka Oyebode, on Tuesday in Ado Ekiti.

According to the statement, the state government will soon issue a blanket guideline that will curb illegal collection of fees in public schools across the state.

Although, the governor had earlier held a meeting with key stakeholders in the education sector on Monday, he still stressed he had received series of complaints that students were still being charged levies.

It reported that some schools still charged fees in spite of the executive order made by the governor in December to abolish payment of education levies in public schools.

The statement reiterated that the revocation of education fees was not a political gimmick as being insinuated in some corners, saying government would no longer tolerate any head teachers or principals who sent pupils out of schools on account of fees.

While stating that government would provide a framework guiding levies or voluntary donations that would be made to schools through the Parent-Teacher-Association (PTA), the governor urged parents not to abdicate their responsibilities based on the revocation of tuition.

“The law does not say that a child who does not pay PTA levy should be sent out of school. There are feedback that some principals are sending students out of school

“There should be a consistent arrangement so that parents will not see this executive order as a political gimmick,’’ the statement said.

While considering other steps that could be taken to address the issue, Fayemi said government would consider increasing the running grants given to schools so that students would no longer be asked to pay examination fees and other sundry fees charged by the PTA.