It is no longer secret that principals in public secondary schools in Delta State defraud parents and guardian of whooping sums of money ranging between N15, 000 and N25, 000 for new intakes, old and returning students respectively.
A statement corroborating allegations of extortion of illegal levies by parents and guardians revealed that some principals allowed themselves to be tempted by collecting exorbitant fees.
According to the statement made available to The Story, by the Public Relations Officer (PRO), of the ministry but signed by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Augustine Ede Oghoro, on behalf of the Honourable Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, condemned the attitude of the principals involved in such criminal acts.
Below is the full statement
DTSG Decries Illegal Collection Of Levies In Public Secondary Schools, Says Erring Principals To Face Disciplinary Action
By Magnus Emuji
The Delta State Government has decried the unwholesome attitudes of some principals in the state public secondary schools who yield to the temptation of collecting illegal levies from parents.
A statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Augustine Ede Oghoro, on behalf of the Honourable Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu indicated that such act was unhealthy to the growth and development of the education sector in the state.
Mr. Oghoro said that the only approved levies for new students who seek admission into public secondary schools in the State was ₦ 1, 250 while old and returning students would pay the sum of ₦ 1, 050 for registration unpon resumption.
The statement added that rather than adhere to such approved levies, many principals have resorted to collecting between ₦15, 000 and ₦ 25,000 from parents and guardians of students.
The Permanent Secretary also advised principals not to compel the students to buy uniforms from the start and provide buckets, mobs, so, among other items , stressing that parents could sew school uniforms for their children open market.
He, however, advised parents not to be intimidated and succumb to such outrageous levies but report the erring principals to the State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, adding that those found culpable would be punished in accordance with the extant Regards and Regulations.
Mr. Oghoro, disclosed that the officials of the Ministry have gone round in the state to ascertain the levies that were being collected from new and returning students.
