School O’Clock: Obaseki Grants Negligent Parents One-Week Grace

…”Ensure that no child is driven from school for failure to pay fees”

Nosakhare Agbonigiarhuoyi

The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has instructed the Ministry of Education to temporarily hold-off the prosecution of parents whose children were found roaming the street during school hours. The pause is meant to last for one week.

The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, announced this to the press on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, following the weekly State Executive Council meeting in Government House, Benin-City.

Dr Oviawe said that the decision was taken in order to give errant parents enough time to do the right thing.

“EXCO has mandated the Ministry of Education to hold-off on any prosecution of parents this week. So we are giving everybody, both the parents, and our heads of schools this additional week as a grace period for everybody to do the right thing.” she said.

The Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration is adamant that education in public schools must be of the highest quality and must be affordable to every parent, whether in public or private schools.

As a result, measures have now been put in place to ensure that parents and guardians of learners are not extorted in any manner through levies and dues charged by school authorities. Additionally, Mr. Obaseki has mandated the Ministry to review levies and dues payable to the barest minimum.

“We have been mandated to ensure that on no account must any child be driven out of school for their inability to pay whatever fees.

“We have also been mandated to review the current levies for school fees and all other ancillary costs to the barest minimum. 

“Any school head that is found to be extorting parents will not only face disciplinary action in line with the civil service rules but they will also be prosecuted.” the Commissioner said.