The Akwa Ibom State Government has warned head teachers of public schools to desist from corrupt practices such as extorting funds from school children or risk severe penalties.
The warning comes on the heels of the report that a school head in the State (name withheld) has been marked for demotion on account of extorting funds from parents of pupils in his school.
The state commissioner of Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet who frowned at the ugly situation during the distribution of ARISE branded exercise books for the pupils of all public primary schools in Uyo senatorial district, said such acts is capable of frustrating the noble intentions of Eno’s administration, which is committed to ensuring a smooth and efficient education system in the state.
Addressing a gathering of teachers and school administrators, the Commissioner and other stakeholders in the state education sector emphasized on the sustainance of free education in the state.
According to her, “I want to use this opportunity to warn all head teachers to do your best, do not collect money of any kind from students or else you would be demoted with immediate effect through the appropriate disciplinary channels.
“Next week you’re going to hear that we are sending a head teacher who demanded the sum of a thousand naira from all new intakes and also extorted five thousand naira from each pupil to give them their placement letters.
“This was a very unjust act and so he will face the consequences”.
A member of the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, John Udo, said his board has concluded investigations on the allegations and has begun the process of refunding the illegal charges to parents in that school.
“Education is free and fair in Akwa Ibom State, you have not been asked to collect money from any student”, he said and lauded the Governor for the prompt payment of counterpart funding for all Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC projects in the state
Recall that Governor Eno during the commissioning of model schools in Uyo recently, had announced one million copies of customized exercise books for pupils in all public primary schools in the state.
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Further presenting the books to the head teachers in the respective schools in Uyo senatorial district, Mrs Etiebet highlighted the Governor’s achievement in education under one year to include payment of WASSCE and NABTEB fees to the tone of 1.5bn naira yearly, payment of bursary to all students, infrastructural development of schools, institution of 100 million Naira Educational Trust Fund for students with disabilities, provision of free school bags, free shoes, amongst others.
In a bid to ensure the exercise books get to the targeted beneficiaries, the Education Boss admonished all Head teachers to ensure the distribution in all schools are done under the supervision of the Governor’s Personal Aides selected from the 368 wards.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of education Mrs Stella Etukakpan while setting the tone, highlighted the governor’s proactive approach since assumption of office, including unscheduled visits to schools and regular spot checks to schools.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant on Research and Documentation, Dr Essien Ndueso, highlighted the comprehensive monitoring mechanisms put in place to ensure the effective distribution of resources.
He explained that ward Personal Assistants have been equipped with iPads to document and report on the distribution process, ensuring accountability and transparency.
Chairman, Association of Primary School Head of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State, Mr Simon Udo, thanked Governor Eno for his unwavering commitment to education, saying that his initiatives have fostered a passion for education in the state.
