In line with his abolition of all forms of fees and levies in public schools, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has released funds for the running of the schools for the 2019/2020 academic session and vowed to sack any school heads caught collecting fees and levies.
This is as the Rivers State Government has suspended the Principal of Oginigba Community Secondary School, Oginigba for the illegal collection of levies.
The funds released by the Rivers State Governor would be used by the schools to buy registers, chalks, dusters, markers, notebooks, pens and other consumables.
Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Mr Adonye Dagogo Hart informed that Governor Wike has also released funds for the supervision of schools for the entire 2019/2020 academic session.
The Rivers State Governor also released six Hilux Vans for school supervision.
Hart said that the suspension of the Principal was to serve as a deterrent to other school Administrators.
It will be recalled that on 24th June, 2019, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike announced the total abolition of all forms of fees and levies in public primary and secondary schools across the state.
Wike directed State-owned Primary and Secondary Schools to stop collecting fees and levies from students and pupils with immediate effect.
Wike stated that henceforth the State Government will be sending direct allocations to all primary and secondary schools management for their operations.
He spoke during a meeting with the heads of primary and secondary schools, Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board and State Universal Basic Education Board at the Government House Port Harcourt.
He said: “From today henceforth, no child either in primary and secondary schools should pay fees and levies in any school across the State.
“The monies you collect from these children are just used for your personal purposes. If I hear that any school head collects any fees or levies, be they examination , NECO or WAEC fees, that school head would be sanctioned.
“We shall not only dismiss the school head who collects fees or levies, we will prosecute the person involved. Government will work out grants that will be sent to the schools for their regular management and operations “.
Governor Wike directed the State Ministry of Education, the Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board and the State Universal Basic Education Board to monitor all public schools across the state to ensure compliance.
