Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, says that the government is investigating allegation of illegal school fees collections in the public schools by school administrators.
Ajibefun stated this in Fiwasaye Girls’ School, Akure on Thursday at the stakeholders’ meeting in moving the sector forward.
Ajibefun said that he had asked all area education officers in all local government areas of the state to submit their record on collections of fees to the ministry.
The commissioner added that he had also called on complainants to come forth with their evidence on the allegation.
He promised that the government would get to the root of the matter and deal decisively with anyone found culpable.
Ajibefun asked school principals and head teachers to be very be careful and desist from putting unnecessary burden on parents and guardians.
He also asked the National Association of Proprietors of Private School (NAPPS) to caution its members to regulate their charges on school fees so that there would be ease on parents and guardians.
The commissioner said that it was obvious that stakeholders must work together and that the government alone could not fund education, hence the needs for inputs of all stakeholders to move the sector forward.
Ajibefun asked all private schools to migrate to digital platform as being directed by the state government in meeting the minimum standards to improve education in the state.
He said that only 40 per cent of the private schools were able to present proper record of their schools’ administration and management.
The commissioner said that the state government needed appropriate data of schools in the state for proper planning and policy implementation for development of the sector.
He commended Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa for his pragmatic approaches in infrastructural strides in the sector, stating that a lot of infrastructure had taken place with improved conducive environment for teaching and learning.
Ajibefun noted that there was room for improvement,hence the reason for the meeting, saying that Aiyedatiwa was committed to building quality education in the state.
Responding, Mr Isaac Ogunyemi, the Assistant Secretary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools,( NAPPS), highlighted challenges being faced by the private schools in the state.
Ogunyemi, who said that NAPPS was not against digitalization and data driven education, advised the state government to extend help to private schools as being done to public schools.
He also argued that students in private schools are also citizens of the state and should benefits from government supports.
In her remarks, Mrs Kosemani Kolawole, President of Fiwasaye Old Students Association, asked the government to encourage old students’ association in all schools in the state so that they could contribute their quota to school development.
Kolawole also urged the government to introduce the entrepreneurship skill initiative in all schools in the state.
In her words, Mrs Fadekemi Jogbodo, the state Chairperson of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), asked the government to have digital platform that could track various projects in schools for effective implementation.
Jogbodo added that the ministry should create a digital platform that parents and guardians could make payments of their children and ward school fees.
