Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Some head teachers in public primary schools in Oyo State have been issued queries by the state government for denying pupils access to examination halls over the failure of their parents to pay some fees described as “illegal.”
The Executive Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr Nureni Aderemi Adeniran, during a monitoring exercise in Ibadan, said it was wrong for the learners to be denied access to the ongoing Public Primary Schools Unified Examination over fees unrelated to the exam.
It was gathered that some pupils could not write the exam because their parents did not pay some fees imposed by the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC).
Mr Adeniran, who expressed anger over this development, said no child should be discriminated against because of fees as the state government had abolished the collection of any development levy in all schools across the state.
He directed that the affected head teachers, five at the Methodist Basic School (School 1-5), Gan-gansi, to be served queries as a deterrent to others who may be collecting such illegal fees.
“No doubt, SBMCs and PTAs can contribute to the development of their local schools but it must not in any way affect the education of pupils.
“No child should be discriminated against in the state education sector,” the Oyo SUBEB leader said.
He disclosed that some parents had reported to the board that head teachers of the school denied their children access to examination halls for failure to pay the N100 development levy charged by the school’s management and SBMC through a popular radio station in Ibadan.
Mr Adeniran said the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde would not fold its arms and allow saboteurs to ridicule its efforts in mandating free education, adding that the ongoing education reforms of the present administration in the state have yielded huge results that must not be sabotaged.
The SUBEB boss also directed that all learners should be allowed to sit for exams without any form of hindrance, urging teachers in all public schools to adhere strictly to the state government’s policies and directives on education.
Some of the schools visited were IMG, Ibuko Ibadan South East LGA; Ratibi Muslim School, Molete, South-West; IMG Basic School, Idi-Iroko, Molete.
Mr Adeniran, who led a team of officials from SUBEB, also visited Islamic Mission School 1, Bode, Ibadan; Methodist Basic School 1-5, Gan-gansi and Community Primary School, Awotunde, Ona-ara LGA and a host of others.
He said the monitoring exercise continues in the course of the week, which will also be extended to other zones of the State, including Ogbomoso, Oyo, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa.
