The head teacher of New Era Primary School, Okpanam, in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, has been suspended by the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, over alleged illegal collection of two thousand naira from pupils for primary six results.
Executive Chairman, SUBEB, Hon Samuel Mariere who announced the suspension while addressing public primary education stakeholders in Oshimili North at Akwukwu-Igbo, headquarters of the local government council, said the board had warned against such collections as directed by the State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.
The SUBEB chairman said the present administration in the state had made it clear that education at the primary level is free and warned Head Teachers against extortion from parents and wards.
He expressed disappointment that some unrepentant head teachers had refused to desist from illegal collections, noting that the act is one of the reasons why some of them will continue to resist transfer because of the fortune they made over time as heads of schools.
He stressed that the state government seriously frowns against any form of extortion in the guise of printing examination question papers and collection of results, saying that public primary education is completely free of charge in Delta State.
Mariere, a two-term member of the Delta State Assembly and former Commissioner in the state, warned Head Teachers who are still in the business of illegal collections in their schools to repent or face dismissal from service when caught.
He called on stakeholders in public primary education to help monitor and supervise teachers in their localities and to report to the board anyone found doing the wrong things, particularly in the areas of poor commitment to work, absenteeism, and extortions.
Hon Mariere assured stakeholders that with the approval of 3.55 billion Naira by the State Executive Council, there would be growth in public primary schools in the state, saying that Oshimili North will not be left out in the building of more classroom blocks, renovation of dilapidated ones and provisions of school furniture.
He added that the board had budgeted over 140 million naira for school farms and agro-skill development for pupils to gain knowledge and experience in farming.
He appealed to the local government councils in the state to pay the 10% total emoluments of teachers and local education authority staff as required by the UBEC law to run the day-to-day activities of the schools while thanking Obi Azuka of Akwukwu-Igbo kingdom for his support on reforms in public primary education.
Chairman, Oshimili North, Hon Innocent Esewezie, represented by the Head of Personnel Management, Mrs Stella Ofunne, welcomed the ongoing reforms and pledged the Council’s support to revamp public primary schools.
Education Secretary Oshimili North, Elder Austin Odogwu, said his office would enforce discipline in schools to ensure quality service delivery, even as he thanked the state government for the recent recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff.
He made some requests, including appealing to the board to renovate the office of the local education authority as it is currently in bad shape.
