The Government of Oyo State said on Thursday that it will deal ruthlessly with any school teacher found to be extorting students of fees it has cancelled.
Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Nureni Adeniran, who issued the stern warning on behalf of the state government during an inspection tour some schools in Ido Local Government Area of the state said that acts of indiscipline would not be condoned by the government.
A statement by the Media Officer to the SUBEB Chairman, Olamide Adeniji, quoted the Chairman as saying that the government would immediately clamp down on any school found to be contravening the order of Governor Seyi Makinde cancelling the payment of fees in schools.
According to the SUBEB Chairman, any recalcitrant public Secondary or primary school that is caught forcing students to pay levies that have been canceled will face severe punishment.
The statement also indicated that the SUBEB Chairman and other top management staff of the board had visited schools within Omi-Adio axis in Ido Local Government area following complaints by parents that schools in the area have continued to demand fees from students and pupils.
Dr. Adeniran warned teachers against sabotaging Government’s efforts at bringing succour to the populace.
He said: “It is very sad to note that these Head Masters and their teachers are recalcitrant to our policy to ensure that basic education is free.
“We are not witch-hunting anybody, rather what we are doing is to cleanse the system.”
Speaking further at Hope Center Primary School, Omi Adio, one of the suspected schools, Dr. Adeniran wondered why teachers would disobey Government’s directives, at the detriment of the future of their pupils.
“A situation whereby children are locked out by teachers because they did not pay fees that Government has suspended would not be condoned or tolerated by this administration,” the Chairman emphasised.
In another development, Dr. Adeniran has frowned at the slow pace of ongoing FGN-UBEC/SUBEB Projects at Ogbomoso zone.
The Chairman expressed the displeasure while inspecting projects at Ogo-Oluwa, Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, and Oriire Local Government Areas.
He promised that the Board will ensure speedy completion of the projects, adding: “I am not happy with the situation of projects in Ogbomoso zone. The Government of Oyo State will ensure these projects are completed, so we expect these contractors to come to our office and give us reasons why these projects have been abandoned.”
