Ban on fees, levies collection in public schools remains ― Makinde

Against the backdrop of reports that some fees were still being collected in schools, the Oyo state government has restated its decision to ban the collection of fees/levies in all public primary and secondary schools in the state.

Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State Governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa conveyed the directive of the state Head of Service, Mrs Ololade Agboola to permanent secretaries and heads of education-related agencies in a statement released on Tuesday.

The statement echoed Governor Seyi Makinde’s earlier directive that all forms of payment in public primary and secondary schools cease with immediate effect, adding that any violator of the directive henceforth will be treated as a saboteur and sanctioned.

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It would be recalled that Makinde had on May 29, in living up to his promise of free education, announced the abolition of the collection of N3,000 development levy in state-owned secondary schools followed by the cancellation of N500 examination fee also in secondary schools.

The quoted circular read, “Collection of fees/levies in all public primary and secondary schools, including technical colleges across the state is hereby prohibited.

“I am to emphasise that collection of fees under any guise in public schools across the state remains illegal and any violator of this directive will be treated as a saboteur; heavy sanction awaits violators of this directive.”

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology; Permanent Secretary (TESCOM); Permanent Secretaries (School Administration); Executive Secretary State Universal Education Board (SUBEB); Executive Secretary Board of Technical and Vocational Education (BOTAVED); Zonal Inspectors of Education; Local Inspectors of Education as well as all Principals and Headteachers of Public Schools were specifically charged to enforce the order.

Tuesday’s statement particularly added that the ban on collection of fees/levies also extended to government-owned technical colleges in the state.