Wike orders free education in Rivers State

 

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has directed state-owned primary and secondary schools to stop collecting fees and levies from pupils and students, with immediate effect.

He declared that school heads who go contrary to the executive order will be punished, according to the laws of the state.

The governor gave the directives on Monday during a meeting with the Heads of Primary and Secondary Schools, Senior Secondary Schools Board and Universal Basic Education Board at Government House, Port Harcourt.

He said that the abolition of all forms of fees and levies in public primary and secondary schools across the state was intended to create access to quality education.

Wike also stated that the state government would be sending direct allocations to all primary and secondary schools management for their operations.

He said: “From today henceforth, no child either in primary or secondary school 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.’’

He directed the Ministry of Education, the Senior Secondary Schools Board and the Universal Basic Education Board to monitor all public schools across the state to ensure full compliance.

The governor also noted that his administration funded the salaries, allowances, examinations and equipment of all public schools.

He assured parents that his administration was committed to the provision of quality education and accessible to the less privileged.

“I have abolished all fees and levies and it will never happen again in our public primary and Secondary schools.

“Nobody should collect fees and levies from the children of the less privileged,’’ he said.