By Ogenyi Ogenyi, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Government has warned head teachers of public schools in Akwa Ibom state to desist from illegal charges on school children or risk severe penalties.
This comes on the heels of the announcement that a school head in the State would soon be demoted on account of extorting illegal charges from parents of pupils in his school.
At an event organised by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Education for the distribution of ARISE branded exercise books for pupils of all public primary schools in Uyo senatorial district yesterday, the State Commissioner for Education Mrs Idongesit Etiebet frowned at acts capable of frustrating the noble intentions of Governor Umo Eno.
Etiebet who addressed a gathering of teachers and school administrators stressed that Eno remained committed to ensuring a smooth and efficient education system in public schools in the State.
The Commissioner warned that there is no room for any fee in public schools as the state remained committed to sustaining its free and compulsory education programme.
“I want to use this opportunity to warn all head teachers to do your best, do not collect money of any kind from students or else you would be demoted with immediate effect through the appropriate disciplinary channels.
“Next week you’re going to hear that we are sending a head teacher who demanded the sum of a thousand naira from all new intakes and also extorted five thousand naira from each pupil to give them their placement letters.This was a very unjust act and so he will face the consequences.” She said.
A member of the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, John Udo, said his board has concluded investigations on the allegations and has begun the process of refunding the illegal charges to parents in that school.
“Education is free and fair in Akwa Ibom State, you have not been asked to collect money from any student”, he said and lauded the Governor for the prompt payment of counterpart funding for all Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC projects in the state.” Udo said.
Recall that Eno during the commissioning of model schools in Uyo recently, had announced one million copies of customized exercise books for pupils in all public primary schools in the state.
Further presenting the books to the head teachers in the respective schools in Uyo senatorial district, the commissioner highlighted the Governor’s achievement in education under one year to include payment of WASSCE and NAPTEB fees to the tune of N1.5bn yearly.
Others include payment of bursary to all students, infrastructural development of schools, institution of N100M Educational Trust Fund for students with disabilities, provision of free school bags, free shoes, amongst others.
In a bid to ensure the exercise books get to the targeted beneficiaries, the Education Boss admonished all Head teachers to ensure the distribution in all schools are done under the supervision of the Governor’s Personal Aides selected from the 368 wards.
Stressing on the Governor’s commitment to Teachers welfare as evidenced in the timely payment of salary and recently announced wardrobe allowance, Etiebet called on all Teachers to reciprocate the Governor’s gesture with passion, commitment and dedication to duty and assured of tough times for all erring teachers.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant on Research and Documentation, Dr Essien Ndueso, highlighted the comprehensive monitoring mechanisms put in place to ensure the effective distribution of resources.
Ndueso explained that ward Personal Assistants have been equipped with iPads to document and report on the distribution process, ensuring accountability and transparency.
Reacting to the Governor’s performance in the education sector, Mr. Simon Udo, state chairman, association of primary school heads thanked the Governor for his unwavering dedication to education adding how the governor’s initiatives have fostered a passion for education within the school community
The high point of the event was the symbolic presentation of exercise books to head teachers in Uyo Senatorial district with a directive further distribute them to all pupils within three working days.
