The Akwa Ibom State government has demoted a school principal for extorting students for sundry charges, thereby undermining the existing free education policy for the basic education system in the state.
The commissioner for Education, Dr Idongesit Etiebet, who disclosed this at the weekend in Uyo, the state capital, warned head teachers of public schools to desist from illegal charges on school children or risk severe penalties.
Etiebet, who said she would not disclose the identity of the affected principal, said his letter of demotion was ready and would soon be served.
“A school head in the state will soon receive his demotion letter on account of extorting illegal charges from parents of pupils in his school,” she stated.
At an event organised by the Ministry of Education for the free distribution of ARISE-branded exercise books for the pupils of all public primary schools in Uyo senatorial district, the education commissioner frowned at acts capable of frustrating the noble intentions of government, assuring that “the governor is committed to ensuring a smooth and efficient education system in public schools in the state.”
She told teachers and school administrators and other stakeholders in the education sector that “there is no room for any fee in public schools as the state is sustaining the free and compulsory education policy.
“I want to use this opportunity to warn all headteachers to do your best, do not collect money of any kind from students or else you would be demoted with immediate effect through the appropriate disciplinary channels.
“Next week, you’re going to hear that we are sending (a letter to) a headteacher who demanded the sum of N1,000 from all new intakes, and also extorted N5,000 from each pupil to give them their placement letters. This was a very unjust act and so he will face the consequences,” she stressed.
A member of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), John Udo, said his board has concluded investigations on the allegations and has begun the process of refunding the illegal charges to parents in affected schools.
“Education is free in Akwa Ibom State. You have not been asked to collect money from any student”, he said and lauded the governor for the prompt payment of counterpart funding for all Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) projects in the state.
