The Deputy Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Dare Kadiri, on Wednesday, lamented that some headteachers and principals of public primary and secondary schools in his constituency were collecting fees from pupils.
The lawmaker said this was contrary to the free education policy of Governor Dapo Abiodun and his directive that no fee should be collected from pupils in public schools across the state.
This is coming barely a month after DAILY POST reported that pupils in public schools and technical colleges in Ogun State have resumed payment of the controversial Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) levies.
Kadiri, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Ijebu North II (Ifelodun) constituency, reported that some parents of pupils in his Constituency complained of alleged collection of levies from pupils.
The Deputy Speaker, speaking during plenary, alleged that the headteachers were extorting parents under the guise of Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) levies.
But in his reaction, the Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Olakunle Oluomo, said the Gov Dapo Abiodun-led administration remained committed to running free education programme in all its primary and secondary schools.
However, Oluomo clarified that even though the free education programme subsists, it did not prevent the Parents and Teacher Associations (PTAs) from carrying out certain projects, noting that whatever fees charged by the PTA, subject to approval by the State’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, should not stop any pupil from enjoying free education in the State.
According to him, no school principal or official should, on account of such fee, send children away from attending classes.
