The Oyo State government has denied allegations that officials of its Ministry of Education, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) and members of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), are involved in the collection of illegal levies in schools.
The government further warned those it called purveyors of a campaign of calumny to desist from their evil plots against the education family, declaring that the campaign would fail.
The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Rahman Abdu-Raheem, gave the warning while reacting to an anonymous post being widely circulated on social media, which raised allegations that officials of the Ministry had been taxing some principals and vice principals of secondary schools during the process of registering students for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO) examinations, declaring that the allegations had no iota of truth whatsoever.
The Commissioner said the unsigned post being circulated on different platforms had alleged, among other things, that officials of the state had been charging each student who registers for WAEC or NECO exams N600 extra and that the same was being shared among officials of the Ministry, TESCOM, executive members of ANCOPSS and Tutors General.
He disclosed that the publication, which was addressed to Governor Seyi Makinde, equally alleged that some persons had been paying for appointments at the TESCOM and that school heads were often made to cough out different amounts of money to service officials who come on unscheduled inspections.
Abdu-Raheem declared that the allegations were false, unfounded, and aimed at tarnishing the good deeds of the incumbent administration in the education sector, saying none of the officials of the Ministry, TESCOM or (ANCOPSS) is involved in the collection of any illegal levy in schools.
He categorically stated that the appointment of principals is a transparent process, which is strictly based on merit, adding that no head of school is required to pay any amount to any official during visits to schools and that there is no proof of such allegation.
The Commissioner stated: “In Oyo State, the total package for WAEC and NECO is N22,000 per candidate. That is far less than what some other states charge their students. His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, had decided that while the state remains committed to the free and qualitative education policy, payment for external examinations should be the responsibility of parents.
“The said N22, 000 is inclusive of the N600 administrative charge per student, which is always determined in consultation with the Parents Teachers Association, Principals, and other stakeholders. The administrative charge is used to cover attendant administration charges and it is not meant to tax anybody,” he explained.
Abdu-Raheem declared that the Ministry, under his watch, would not be involved in any shady financial dealing and condemned the dangerous campaign, which he said is aimed at destroying the good image of the current administration, urging anyone who had a genuine complaint against any official in the education sector to report such to the appropriate authorities promptly.
He noted that education remained a major pillar of the Seyi Makinde-led administration and it is determined to keep pushing the frontiers of excellence in the sector, disclosing that the team would do everything humanly possible to leave a legacy of enviable people-centred and result-oriented public service behind.
“I, therefore, reassure the people of Oyo State to discountenance the frivolous allegations making the rounds via the social media post, rest assured that our commitment to excellence in the education sector will not waiver,” the Commissioner concluded.
