Delta Government Receives Knock Over Dilapidated School Structure, Alleged Unending Fees

… As Government Suspends Head-teacher Over Extortion Saga

By Kenneth Orusi, The Nigerian Voice, Asaba
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Delta state government has received hard knock over the deplorable nature of Okotie-Eboh primary school 1 in Sapele local government council, attended by Miss Success Adegor, who was chased out of school over alleged inability of her parents to pay her school fees.

A facebook user, Tonychuks Okwunebe, posted on his facebook page, said the state government should not exonerate itself, saying the government should also be blamed for such a ‘dead structure’ to exist as a school in the state.

According to him, the existence of such school in the state has spoken negatively on the governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, who just won his reelection bid as governor for another four years,

Hear him: “So, if the Commissioner should set enquiry on why Success Adegor should be sent home for fees, the government should be queried for allowing pupils to attend such a dead structure as school in Delta State.

“The nature of that school has given the Governor a minus in his three and half years in office. Is the Commissioner not aware that such a school exist under his ministry?

“I'm also convinced that no good road passed through that area. Commissioner, please when you fault the head teacher for sending Success home, fault your ministry for allowing human beings study under such a dehumanizing environment in Delta State and Sapele to be specific”.

On the wide spread ‘free education’ in the state basic and secondary education, Okwunebe said: “I am pissed off to read on this platform that education in Delta State is FREE at the Basic and Secondary schools.

“The Commissioner's outburst on the Head teacher of Okotie Eboh Primary School I Sapele shows that he is not aware of his surroundings.

“Even when he pronounced that education is free in Delta State, he personally mentioned levies payable in a free education sector. This is not right because he created the avenue for school heads to extort the pupils and students.

“If education is free like in the days of late Gov Ambrose Ali of Bendel State, it must be total. No consumables levy, no sportswear levy, no NOTHING. Free education must be FREE in totality. We were beneficiaries of a free education and our parents never paid a dine for anything.

He alleged that “Levies are collected in ALL public schools in Delta State. Before going to Sapele, check the schools here in Asaba and find out if the specified levies are being followed. And if you doubt me call for receipts given for payments and what they collect for sportswear. The case of Success Adegor might be a blessing to other Delta children in due course. Until you're back from Sapele, we keep our fingers crossed. But please make your findings public”.

Also, Okwunebe Anumni Rosemary, another facebook user said: “Our problem in Nigeria is dat we are sellfish and greedy. There is nothing like free education in Asaba, Delta state we I live. I pay govt levy of #2550, PTA #2000, Fullcap sheet for writing exam #300 and #3000 for uniform shirt and waist coat only, then #500 for complete uniform.

Said she: “Then this year WAEC only is #17000 and NECO is #14500. So why is d commissioner for Education in Delta state saying education is free? Pls my people Education in Delta state is pay as ur child goes to school. Everyday, there must be something to pay for. D teachers will not ever cover their scheme of work to enable dem force d students to stay behind for Compulsory lesson which dey charge dem #2000 every month. With a population of over 100 studentsooo .I pay this every month including Dec. which dey only went for just 2weeks. I am tired of their demands for one money or d other. So pls don't misinform d public dat education in public schools are free cos its not true. During d tenure of Governor Uduaghan, WAEC was free. So what are we talking about? Thank God for d people God will use to liberate this family needs”, she added.

Meanwhile, it was reliably learnt that the head-teacher of the school, Vero Igigwe, has been suspended just as the council boss of Sapele, EugeneInoaghan, has promised to sponsor the little girl from the primary to the secondary school level through a scholarship even as he has also given cash gift to the girl’s mother when he and some members of his team and lawmakers visited the family.