The academic year began Monday, September 13, 2021, in Delta State and there has been a rush by parents to have their children and wards registered in public and private schools in the state.
As the parents walk into the schools, there appears to be mounting disenchantment on their faces over what they say in sharp practices in the admission processes in public schools.
They say that contrary to the state government’s directive, the schools are collecting between Eighteen Thousand Naira and Twenty Thousand Naira for admission for their children and wards.
NewsNet Nigeria investigations in Warri South and Uvwie Local Government Areas revealed that many parents desirous to have their children in the public schools could be seen moving from one office to the other looking unhappy.
Prior to the resumption of schools the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Rose Ezewu revealed that the approved fees by the government are one Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Naira for new intakes and One Thousand and Fifty Naira for children moving into the next class.
So, the question is, how did the school heads come about the thousands of naira they are collecting from parents?
The search for answers to the question was taken to the doorsteps of the Principals of a number of secondary schools in the two council areas.
The Principals who declined to speak denied knowledge of the sleaze going on in their schools.
But, parents insist that they have been made to in some cases to cough out Twenty-two Thousand Naira to secure admission for their children in the schools.
They described the action of the management of the schools as inhumane explaining that government has not directed an increase in admission fees for Delta State.
The parents explained that they are often forced to pay the sum so that their children do not miss the opportunity of acquiring education in public schools as they do not have the resources to send them to private schools.
Beyond the denials by the school heads, what is obvious is that collecting unauthorized fees and levies from parents during the admission window has become an annual occurrence with the usual warning by government for school heads to desist from it.
People are claiming that the practice has continued because there is a long list of officials whose interests are served by the action.
The Chief Inspector of Education in Warri, Chuks Alekwe said the state government frowned at all illegal fees and levies collected in schools while his Uvwie counterpart denied any knowledge of the collection of illegal fees from parents over admission into public schools.
Further investigations revealed allegations that the money requested from parents is intended to cover school uniforms, markers, books, school furniture and sundry other things.
In some schools, students were asked to provide a four-litre gallon of liquid soap among other things.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education has however made it clear that these demands were not part of admission requirements but school Managements have refused to blink.
Indeed, a number of teachers who spoke on condition of anonymity said schools hardly get their subventions on time and had to raise funds any way possible to run their institutions.
The question however is that if the monies they collect have the backing of the government in any way, they will be uniform and receipts given for proper accounting.
As the admission process continues, parents say they are now in a difficult situation as they cannot afford to lose the space for their children on the basis of insisting on Government approved admission guidelines.
They have asked the state government to monitor the schools and ensure that no principal charges above the prescribed fees.
Whether that happens, only time will tell.
