By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Governor of Rivers State Barr Nyesom
Wike has declared free education for public primary and secondary schools in the
state in a bid to create access to quality education,
Wike directed state-owned primary and secondary schools to stop collecting fees and levies from students and pupils with immediate effect.
He stated that henceforth, the state government will be sending direct allocations to all primary and secondary schools management for their operations.
He spoke, yesterday, during a meeting with the heads of primary and secondary schools, Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board and State Universal Basic Education Board at Government House, Port Harcourt.
He said: “From today henceforth, no child either in primary and secondary schools should pay fees and levies in any school across the state. “
The monies you collect from these children are just used for your personal purposes. If I hear that any school head collects any fees or levies, be they examination, NECO or WAEC fees, that school head would be sanctioned.
“We shall not only dismiss the school head who collects fees or levies, we will prosecute the person involved.
Government will work out grants that will be sent to the schools for their regular management and operations.”
Wike directed the state
Ministry of Education, Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board and the
State Universal Basic Education Board to monitor all public schools
across the state to ensure compliance.