Kano govt frowns at exorbitant fees by private schools

Gov Yusuf

The Government of Kano has frowned at the way proprietors of private schools are charging exorbitant school fees, warning that the government would no longer tolerate such an unbecoming attitude.

This was just as the state government has uncovered serious irregularities with the operations of over alleged 7,000 private schools in the state have exploited parents with exorbitant fees and at the same time violates the State Curriculum.

Making this known on Thursday the Special Adviser to the Governor on the Private and Voluntary Institution Board, Comrade Baba Abubakar Umar stated this during an interview with pressmen.

According to him, most of these proprietors were forcing parents to buy textbooks, school uniforms from the schools at exorbitant price, as well as compelling them to pay for testimonials and certificates at a very expensive amount

He said; “We all know what Nigerians were passing through in terms of the prevailing harsh economic situation, saying government is not happy that the proprietors are adding more economic burden parents were facing.

He noted that instead to allow parents to buy their textbooks uniforms at cheaper amounts they are compelling them to buy from kangaroo bookshops set up by them with publishers, this system must stop’

Comrade Umar then warned, “Henceforth it will not allow the exploitation of parents by private school proprietors to continue in the state and already special revalidation exercise has commenced to sanitise the system.”

He added that according to investigation conducted after I assumed office as a Special Adviser Private and Voluntary Institution Board, a lot of misconduct was uncovered

Amongst these were, “An alleged of shortchange government adding that no fewer than five proprietors pay less amount government charged them”.

According to him, “A proprietor, who was supposed to pay a sum of N500,000 ended up paying just N100,000 while another paid N200,000 instead of N2 million”.

The Special Adviser also noted that the government had embarked on revalidation of private school ownership certificates to ensure adequate digital data of all private schools in Kano.

Comrade Baba Abubakar Umar maintained that out of the seven thousand private schools operating in the state only three thousand collected, filled, and returned the validation forms to the board.

”When I came onboard what I met was very pathetic, because private schools were operating anyhow, they are exploiting parents through increasing exorbitant charges at their wish, despite the current economic situation the country is facing.

”An established law by the state government In 2004 mandated every private school to pay ten per cent of its total termly earnings to the state government as revenue, but unfortunately they are not complying, and this attitude will not be accepted.

”Unfortunately I met records that private schools previously paid dues directly to the personal account of the former executive secretary of the board, which is a criminal act”.

He said that the government would do the needful as soon as it completes the revalidation exercises.

While sparking with Hajia Aminat Ibrahim over various allegations levelled against them, said there is no iota of truth in what the Special Adviser on Private and Voluntary Institution Board said.

She however disclosed that the association of private schools have resolved to drag the board to court over the matter.

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