- Commissioner, Directors Sabotaging Governor Al-Makura’s Effort Of Free Primary And Secondary Education
The hand in-glove of the Government of Nasarawa to effect the free primary and secondary education policy of the led-All Progressives Congress regime under the headship of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura has suffers enormous agitation by stakeholders in the education sector, The free primary and secondary education initiated by the APC Government barely seven months only exist in the pages of newspapers, The policy has generated a lots of reactions not only by principals but also by members of the opposition party, The PDP in the state, The success of the policy which if fully effected will bring succor to parents especially the downtrodden in the society.
In spite of series of reports on the failure of the free education in Nasarawa state, The present situation has taken a different dimension as principals and Parents Teachers’ Association connive with the state commissioner of education and few directors to sabotage the new policy that was welcome with fanfare by parents but truncated by gullible Government officials,Some students of Government Secondary School Doma North has reliably unfolded that the principal of the school foist them to paid N500 , They stated that the principal/PTA said the N500 was compulsory for them to paid security working in the school ,Adding that the money will enable the school to pay salary of the security, It was revealed that principal/PTA gave a standing order that every student must pay or take over the work security.
But the principal when contacted on phone directed our reporter to contact the PTA Chairman for clarification, The principal denied having link with the said N500,A staff of the school who pleaded anonymity maintained that the levy was to enable the school paid security men,The students were given option to either pay the N500 or should take over security work,GSS Doma North has a population of over 150 students being a boarding school,Is no longer news that the female principal is growing fat on illegal money extort from students, Impeccable source asserted that extra levies and school fees were collected from external students that are about writing Waec or Neco most pay additional fee or miss their chances, Again newly in-take JSS one students were compel to pay surcharges violating the free primary and secondary education.
It is authoritatively gathered that the principal like any other corrupt principal registered over fifty (50) external students that did not sat for mock, All this arrangement are the hand work of Chief Inspectorates of Education, Directors and the commissioner, The Commissioner, Hon.Yakubun Hauwa when contact on his mobile phone debunked such act asking D.H to present any evidence in respect to what he termed as allegation.
Despite the presentation of school fee invoices gotten from Government Secondary School,Maina and reports of extortion from various schools the commissioner failed to set up a high power committee to go round public schools in the state barely four months ago.
Further investigation at the zonal Chief Inspectorate Office revealed that some principal when interview asserted that they are passing through grim situation which they said include shortage of chalk,up keeping,while some are lamenting over shortage of chairs and desk, Others said the little levy collected from students assist them a lot but now nothing is forthcoming.
While in boarding school principals decried shortage of food, “Before students were task to bring two measures of beans and rice but now it was outlaw by the Government, As i’m talking to you now we have sufficient,foodstuff in our store, Further information from the ministry of education unfolded that principals, CIE’s, Directors and the commissioner soiled their hands into the dirty deal by conniving with them to collect first term school fees from new students securing admission into JSS 1 or SS1 must paid first term school fees, From the collection money was not remitted to the state Government or ministry of education instead the largesse was shared among the stakeholders.
An insider from the ministry averred that principals are lamenting on the lean monthly up keeping given to them said it was the fault of some principals ,He further stated that some principals succeeded in slashing the number of their students for self-gain.”I know of a school that has a population of almost 2000 students but the principal presented 150 names, This seriously affect the present up keeping accorded to public schools by the state Government, The present predicament is not the fault of the state Government”, Said the source.
The pathetic story was that the education commissioner is yet to tour public schools in the state, The commissioner can hardly give accurate number of secondary schools to the tune of N2.7bn was release for the provision of internet services in the ministry of education, Again another story of gamble was the deduction of N2.5m for the conduct of 2012 school census in Nasarawa state,The school census was not conducted but money was release for the exercise, The state Government also failed to conduct 2013 school census flouting presidential directive, The school census is an annual ritual conducted nationwide aimed at knowing the actual enrollment of students in public schools.
The free primary and secondary education policy which was kick-against by the Assembly on it declaration at the hallow chamber of the state Assembly when Governor Al-Makura is presenting 2014 budget to the Assembly, Is not too late for the Government of Nasarawa state to addressing the loopholes that bedeviled the education ministry, The state Government should set up School Evaluation, Inspection and Monitoring Units which is a fresh body away from the existing CIE’s to go round schools to see the level of compliance to the free education policy.
The state Government should conduct accurate school census, This will enable the state Government make budgetary provision for public schools.
Government should not relent on it effort to provide desk/chairs, continuous Assessment booklet as well make provision for security to the newly established secondary schools.
Foodstuff should be made available to boarding school students, This will enable the students to concentrate on their studies.
More attention should be given to mock examination, This will reduce the financial burden of the state Government in registering free NECO examination
