DELTA State Government has issued a stern warning to principals of public secondary schools across the state to desist from imposing exorbitant tuition fees on students and extorting parents through the imposition of unapproved admission charges.
The Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, issued the warning after confirming reports that some school heads were demanding exorbitant fees from parents before granting admission to their wards.
She noted that findings from parents and the state’s education task force revealed that schools such as Unity School, Asaba, Women Affairs Secondary School, Ekpan Secondary School, Ekpan Basic 1, Government Model Secondary School, Asaba and Nana College were allegedly collecting sums as high as ₦80,000 for admission, far above government-approved charges, including charges for school chairs, uniform and registration, detergent, textbooks to be bought from the school, and notebooks to be given to the schools.
“This is a stern warning from the state government. Any principal found guilty of such extortion will face disciplinary action, including demotion,” Ezewu declared.
The commissioner condemned the act, describing it as exploitative and contrary to the principles of fairness and accessibility that the state government seeks to uphold in the education sector.
“Ezewu assured that after investigating the matter, that any principal found wanting will be demoted and the vice-principal will take over.” She said.
She stressed that the administration, under the Renewed Hope for MORE agenda, is committed to ensuring that every child in Delta State, especially those from vulnerable families, has access to quality education without financial barriers.
Ezewu further appealed to parents and guardians to resist such illegal demands and to report any cases of exploitation to the Ministry for prompt action. She also urged them to ensure that their children and wards are provided with some learning materials, specifically textbooks and notebooks for mathematics and English language.
She assured that the government will continue to monitor schools closely to ensure compliance with approved guidelines and maintain accountability in the education system.
