……. directs affected headteachers to vacate their duty posts

Two more headteachers in public primary schools in Ekiti State have received knocks from the management of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for collection of illegal fees from their pupils.

The head teachers(names withheld)from Community Primary School, Ado Ekiti and CAC Community Primary School, Irare, Oye Ekiti respectively were immediately suspended from their duty posts for a duration of two months.

The duo were found guilty of collection of unauthorized school fees ranging from N17,500.00 to N18,500.00 from each of their primary six pupils.

The Executive Chairman of Ekiti SUBEB, Prof. Femi Akinwumi who made this known in Ado Ekiti said the situation had become worrisome as some headteachers have refused to change their bad attitudes despite repeated warnings that the state government is passionate and irrevocably committed to its free and compulsory education policy and would not tolerate collection of illegal fees or involvement of Headteachers and their subordinates in sharp practices that could rubbish the good intentions of Government

Prof. Akinwumi recalled that just last week, a headteacher was sanctioned for a similar offence which according to him should have served as a deterrent to others but was surprised to hear of the fresh cases of two more headteachers committing the same offence.

He reaffirmed that the state government under the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji has been doing enough to satisfy teachers in the state through various pro-teacher policies and welfare packages such as regular payment of salaries , provision of palliatives, car and housing loans among others to make them happy and discourage them from any form of fraudulent practices.

The SUBEB boss mandated the affected headteachers to refund the illegally collected money to the pupils as well as handover the affairs of their schools to their most senior subordinates and must henceforth report at the SUBEB head office until further notice.

Prof. Akinwumi therefore warned teachers in the state public primary schools against cutting corners to enrich themselves at the expense of poor and unsuspecting parents who the government is making efforts to assist through it’s free and compulsory basic education policy

He called on leaders of various teachers’ associations and labour unions to join in checkmating erring headteachers by creating more awareness among them towards putting an end to this unfortunate misconduct.

The SUBEB Boss however said that subsequent offenders will face stronger punishment in order to guide against the continuation of this unwholesome attitude among basic education teachers in the state.