By Stephen Adeleye
Lokoja – The Kogi Government on Tuesday warned principals of both private and public secondary schools in the state against overcharging students for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) registration fees.
Mr Eric Aina, the Permanent Secretary, Kogi State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, gave the warning when he led a team from the ministry to monitor schools in Lokoja for resumption for the second term 2019/2020 Academic activities.
”The ministry has received reports from the society that principals are overcharging parents for WAEC registration fees.
”We have given out our directive and we have advised principals of both public and private secondary schools in the state to strictly comply with the directives on the floating paper.
”Any principal that overcharges students would have to give his own explanations, and if the ministry is not satisfied with the explanation, such principal would be made to face the necessary disciplinary action,” Aina said.
The permanent secretary commended teachers in the schools visited for their impressive attendance in school and for immediately commencing teachings in their various classes on first and second of resumption.
“So far, we have visited several schools on Monday and Tuesday and we are satisfied with the turnout of teachers, but there were very low turnout of students.
”We are impressed with the attendance of teachers and we appreciate their efforts, but we also implore them to intensify such efforts,” he said.
He expressed his disappointment over the low turnout of students and pupils in schools, and appealed to parents and guardians to release their wards to resume school as teaching had commenced.
The Kogi Government has advised parents and guardians to allow their children and wards to resume classes for the second term 2019/2020 Academic activities.
Aina, however, expressed satisfaction with the turnout of students and staff at the Crowder Memorial College, saying some of the students were seen writing test on the day of resumption.
He urged other schools to emulate such initiative as a way of persuading students and pupils to always resume school on resumption date.
Other schools monitored were: Muslim Comm. Secondary School, Harmony Secondary School Lokoja, Saint Luke Primary School and Alhikmat Science Secondary School, Lokoja, among others.
(NAN)
