Education

Niger: Commissioner warns school principals, others against extortion

Niger State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education says it will henceforth take punitive measures against Public School Principals and Head Teachers who extort money from Students and Parents in the State.

Niger State Commissioner of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Hadiza Asabe Mohammed stated this over the weekend, during an interface with all the Principals and Head Teachers in Niger East Senatorial District of the State.

She stated that the Ministry had issued several circulars warning heads of Schools to desist from such acts but stated that some have turned deaf ears thus the ministry has no option other than to sanction and suspend any erring Principal or Head Teacher found culpable.

She said that this is in tandem with the National Policy on Free Education, adding that no one should be found violating the policy.

The Commissioner lamented the way and manner in which some School managers add to the hardships of some parents by extorting monies from them in the name of registration, thereby defying the ministry’s directives and government policy on free Education.

According to her, “the Ministry is working meticulously to achieve the New Niger Agenda of the Executive Governor RT. Hon. Umaru Mohammad Bago aimed at revolutionizing and changing the narratives in the Education sector”.

Dr. Hadiza Asabe Mohammed explained that henceforth the issuance of first leaving certificates of Primary Schools has been abolished but Basic School leaving Certificate which covers ECCDE to JSS3, will be issued by the Ministry and no longer the Schools.

The Commissioner added that in order to sanitize and improve the quality of Education, very soon an assessment Examination will be conducted for all Principals, Head Teachers and other Teachers for professionalism.

She observed that a committee had already been set up to review the Secondary School Textbooks because the Ministry realized that Secondary Schools used different textbooks for the same Examinations, emphasizing that there should be uniformity and harmony.

The Commissioner assured of the governor’s resolve to improve the wages and welfare of the Teachers by next year after undergoing certain reforms for professionalism m

In his submission, the State NUT Chairman, Comrade Akayago Adamu Mohammad assured that the Union will partner with the ministry in ensuring compliance with policy directives.

The State NUT Chairman enumerated some of the challenges confronting the Teachers and Schools, hence the need for the government and ministry to address them with the view to put in their best so that together they can move the Education sector to greater heights.

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