The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has abolished payment of all fees, including tuition in all public schools in the state.
Governor Soludo stated this at Premier Primary School, Obosi, Idemili North Council Area and Ado Girls Secondary School, Onitsha during his interactions with students of the schools on Thursday.
The statement signed by Christian Aburime, the Press Secretary to the Governor said
before now public schools in the State were tuition-free but all manner of levies were indiscriminately imposed on the pupils in virtually all the schools in the State.
For instance, pupils in Junior Secondary School, JSS1 to JSS3 were paying as much as N5,000 to N8,000 depending on the school as levies while pupils in the Senior Secondary School, SSS1 to SSS3 were also paying between N8,000 to N12,000 as levies/charges depending on the school. While those in Primary schools pay as much as N2,000 in levies as well
The statement said; “Today, with the swift intervention of Governor Soludo, aside being tuition-free, all manner of levies from nursery to primary six have been completely abolished in all public schools.
“In the same vein, all manner of levies in JSS1 to JSS3 which ranges between N5,000 to N8,000 have also been completely abolished in public schools.”
The levies in SSS1 to SSS2 which hitherto were between N8,000 to N12,000 have now been drastically reduced to N5,000. No pupil in this category will pay above the stipulated amount of N5,000. This amount will however be used as operational cost for the school among other support from the state government .
The Governor said that his administration was passionate about actualising an all-inclusive education.
He said that “no child within the school age; from nursery to JSS 3, should be charged school fees or any other fees to acquire education in the state.”
“The aim is to go back to the basic when education was used as the equalizer, such that children from poor and rich backgrounds will attend the same school and compete favourably.
“Children of school age will no longer be deprived of access to quality education.
“Education from nursery to JSS is free and compulsory in the state.
“This will increase the access of children to basic education and to ensure the fullest development of personality, talents, mental and physical abilities of our children.
“We will not look kindly on anyone who fails to comply with the above pronouncement,” he said
The implication from the foregoing clearly shows that, pupils in Nursery to Primary schools, as well as JSS1 to JSS3 students will no longer pay any form of fee or levy in Anambra schools starting from this present session, 2023/2024 academic session.
Students in SSS1 to SSS3 will not pay more than 5000 Naira.
While speaking, Governor Soludo said that the constitution of Nigeria requires government in Nigeria to as soon as it is practicable, offer free primary or secondary education.
The Governor stressed that among the four categories of schools in the state, government-run public schools are the least in terms of infrastructure and otherwise, saying that “by this announcement, his administration will begin massive revolution to bring out public education to be a model in the education sector.”
He promised that government would be investing and rebuilding infrastructure in the schools in the coming weeks and months. He equally promised to roll-out his government full agenda for the education sector in the coming days
Professor Soludo also emphasized that his administration would begin to use education as an opportunity equaliser. He described education as not just the future but the present, saying that “the big agenda is to mainstream education as the foundation.”
The Governor stressed that Anambra state has the highest concentration of the most entrepreneurial people in Africa, pointing out that unless children are given access to qualitative education, the future is uncertain.
He noted that his interest is not only in the learning outcomes, but that he would be directly involved in the entire process.
The Governor appealed to the communities to get involved in building a good educational system that will benefit their children.
The Head Teacher of Premier Primary School, Mrs. Udoji Vivian and the Principal of Ado Girls Secondary School, Mrs. Chineke Okocha, highlighted some of the challenges facing their respective schools to the Governor which he promised to look into.
Secretary to the State Government Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, Chief Protocol officer Hon Chinedu Nwoye (Glamour), Commissioner for Education, Professor Ngọzi Chuma-Udeh, Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Patrick Aghamba, Chair persons of PPSSC and ASUBEB, Professor Nkechi Ikediugwu and Mrs. Vera Nwadinobi, among others, attended the event.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
