Free Education Policy: El-Rufai Orders Refund Of School Fees To Pupils  

The Kaduna State government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing every child resident in the state free primary, secondary and technical as well as vocational education.

The government observed that the circular issued by the Ministry of Education to school principals on collection of nominal fees is not consistent with government policy, and is thus invalid.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai therefore ordered that the circular from the Ministry of Education to the heads of schools, dated 1st November 2022, to be rescinded with immediate effect, and all monies that may have been collected from school pupils refunded forthwith.

An extraordinary meeting of the Kaduna State Executive Council, held on Monday, 7th November 2022, described the provision of free education for the first 12 years of schooling as a legacy achievement of the state government.

A statement signed by the special adviser on media and communication, Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, yesterday, said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai chaired State Executive Council recalled that they explicitly banned payment of PTA fees and other levies in public schools in order to ensure that the free education policy actually delivers education without burdening parents with hidden fees or levies.

The statement said that the Council noted that community participation and ownership in the administration of public schools is what led to the creation by law of School Management Boards and School-Based Management Committees with membership drawn from all concerned stakeholders.

The statement added that the ‘’ extraordinary meeting of the Kaduna State Executive Council discussed a memo from the Ministry of Education on sustainable funding for the maintenance of school facilities.’’

The special adviser further said that the ‘’Executive Council stated that the Kaduna State Government will continue to faithfully implement the free senior secondary education policy and to discharge the primary responsibility for its public schools.’’

The governor directed that the ‘’circular from the Ministry of Education to the heads of schools, dated 1st November 2022, is therefore rescinded with immediate effect, and all monies that may have been collected should be refunded forthwith.’’

‘’Accordingly, and noting that some alumni associations, community groups, charities and persons of means may be interested in further supporting particular schools, the Council directed the Ministry of Education to develop a suitable framework to guide school heads, parents, old students’ associations, communities and other donors that may want to contribute to the development of any public school in the state’’, Adekeye pointed out.

The statement said that the framework is necessary in the interest of accountability and transparency, adding that it ‘’ will be widely debated by stakeholders and approved by the State Executive Council before subsequent dissemination as an official directive to the Principals and Heads of Schools.”

The statement said the governor ‘’stated that free education is the pillar of the Kaduna State government’s commitment to human capital development and social mobility for the children of the most vulnerable residents of the state.’’

‘’With careful implementation since 2015, this policy guarantees every child access to education from the first year of primary school to the completion of the final year of senior secondary school or technical/vocational school,” The statement said.