By Ikemefuna Asika, Awka
Government of Anambra State has abolished all payment of fees and levies for junior students and pupils in all government-run public schools in the state.
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo stated this at Premier Primary School, Obosi and Ado Girls Secondary School, Onitsha.
Before now public schools in the State were tuition-free but all manner of levies were indiscriminately imposed on students and pupils in almost all the schools in the State
For instance, students in JSS1, JSS2 and JSS3 were paying between N5,000 and N8,000 depending on the school as levies while those in SSS1, SSS2 and SSS3 were paying between N8,000 to N12,000 as levies/charges also depending on the school. Primary school pupils were paying as much as N2,000 in levies as well
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 from JSS1 to JSS3 have also been abolished.
However, levies in SSS1 and SSS2 classes which hitherto were between N8,000 to N12,000 have now been drastically reduced to N5,000. No student in this category will pay above the stipulated amount of N5,000. This amount will be used as operational costsfor the school among other support from the state government
The implication of this announcement is that pupils from Nursery to Primary schools, as well as students from JSS1 to JSS3 will no longer pay any form of fee or levy in Anambra schools starting from the 2023/2024 academic session.
Students in SSS1 to SSS3 will not pay more than five thousand naira.
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 would begin massive revolution to make public education to be a model in the education sector.
He stated 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.
Solido added that Anambra state has the highest concentration of most entrepreneurial people in Africa, pointing out that unless children were given access to qualitative education, the future would be uncertain.
He noted that his interest is not only in the learning outcomes, but that he would be directly involved in the entire process. And appealed to communities to get involved in building a good educational system that will benefit their children.
Governor Soludo also promised to pay the fees for SSS1 to SSS3 of Ado Girls for the first term only.
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 Prof 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 tand ASUBEB, Professor Nkechi Ikediugwu and Mrs. Vera Nwadinobi, among others, attended the event.
