Principal of Edo midwifery school debunks allegation of extortion

Students of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) School of Midwifery have accused the authorities over the alleged indirect imposition of ‘gift levy’ on them.

However, the Principal of the school, Mrs Franca Esebame vehemently denied, insisting that apart from the annual fee N241,000 for the entire academic session, not even a dime is collected from the students.

A student who would not want her name in print disclosed that it is now an annual ritual to compel the graduating students to contribute money to buy parting gifts for the school officials and external examiners.

She explained that students of the immediate past set were allegedly made to buy a washing machine as a gift, besides gifts and lunch meal provided for external examiners from others.

She alleged that some students who had the guts to question the rationale behind the ‘gifts’ were not allowed to graduate, adding that each of the students of the 2019/2020 set was told to contribute N15,000, as they plan to buy a generating set for the officials.

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“I wonder why they will still tacitly ask the students to buy gifts for them [school officials] and their external examiners, after spending so much on school fees and other sundry expenses.

“Any student who spoke against the gift money is made to repeat his final semester. That is why many of the students pay the money out of fear of being victimised.

“To me, it is an act of corruption, after all, they are paid to do whatever​ they do.”

With a dismissive wave of the hand, Esebame who spoke in her office at UBTH explained that the students do not pay cash to the school but to the hospital’s coffers.

She said: “For the 18 months duration of the programme, the students do not pay any money to the school. The school fee is N241,000 which is either paid in three instalments or once to the hospital. No student pay money to anybody throughout the duration of the programme.”

For 46 since the school was founded, the principal maintained that it had always insisted on high standards and discipline.

Mrs Esebame noted that should the students on their own decide to voluntarily pull resources together and buy gifts for any of the staff or external examiner, the authorities can not stop them.