Ekiti SUBEB Chairman cautions teachers against illegal fee
The Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board(SUBEB), Prof.
Francisca Aladejana has warned Head teachers of public primary schools
in Ekiti State against collection of illegal fees from pupils,
threatening to sanction any teacher caught sending pupils away from
school on account of non-payment of fees.
The Chairman, who gave the warning during an interactive meeting
between the SUBEB Management and Head teachers of Public Primary
Schools in all the 16 Local Government areas of the State said, by
virtue of Governor Fayemi’s Executive Order 1 of 2018 and the State
Universal Basic Education Act, basic education is free and compulsory
for all children of school age in the state reminding them of the
mandate of the Governor to the SUBEB management that no child was
sent out of school on account of non-payment of fees.
According to Professor Aladejana, “It is a gross violation of the
Universal Basic Education Act for pupils to be charged fees under
whatever guise.”
Aladejana, who expressed how assiduous the Governor Kayode Fayemi-led
administration was towards providing a conducive teaching and
learning environment in schools in the state promised to attend to
condition of schools with infrastructural problems as many of them are
currently undergoing renovation.
She said efforts were in top gear to provide schools across the state
with pupils and teachers’ furniture, toilet facilities, perimeter
fencing and new buildings amongst several others already in the
pipeline that would give basic education a boost in the state.
While urging the teachers to redouble their efforts in the task of
providing qualitative basic education to pupils, the SUBEB Chairman
noted that apart from prioritizing the welfare of teachers, Governor
Fayemi recently approved the release of running grants of the whole
academic calendar of the 2018/ 2019 academic session to all public
schools in the State.
Aladejana enjoined teachers to key into various on-going reforms in
the basic education sector in the state including training and
retraining, introduction of child friendly initiatives and modern
teaching techniques.
While soliciting the support of all stakeholders in the sector,
particularly in the administration’s quest to return the State to its
pride of place in education, Professor Aladejana reiterated that
education remained one of the pillars of Dr. Fayemi-led administration.
She warned the staff of the Local Government Education Authorities,
Head Teachers and other relevant stakeholders against demanding for
gratification from contractors handling school projects adding that
the present administration in the state had zero tolerance for all
forms of corruption and sharp practices.
Responding, on behalf of the Head teachers, Mr. Femi Ojo, who
appreciated the Board Chairman for meeting with them promised to
update their staff on the policies and plans of government for basic
education sub-sector.
According to him, “no reasonable individual would want to circumvent
what Ekiti State Government is doing in basic education.”
Also addressing the head teachers in Ilejemeje, Moba, Oye, Ido/Osi,
Ijero and Efon Local Government Areas, Barrister Kayode Adeoye, who
is the Commissioner II at the Board urged teachers to shun
absenteeism, lateness to duties , partisan politics and other vices
that could hinder productivity.
Barrister Adeoye appealed that the Head teachers assist government in
monitoring the on-going renovation and construction works in their
respective schools adding that as stakeholders and end users of the
facilities, they should ensure that the contractors strictly comply
with contractual agreements before certifying the projects for payment.
The SUBEB Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusesan Fabamise, who addressed
the teachers and other stakeholders in Gbonyin, Ikole, Ekiti East,
Ikere, Emure and Ise/Orun Local Government areas, stressed the
importance of primary school teachers as critical stakeholders in
the sector emphasizing that the present Fayemi-led administration in
the state was committing a lot of resources into both the welfare of
teachers and provision of conducive teaching and learning environment
in schools in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, who noted the ban placed on the use of school
fields for social activities during week days by the leadership of the
Education Ministry was consequent upon various complaints from the
general public that social activities distract teaching and learning
activities in schools, directed Education Secretaries and
Head-teachers to ensure strict compliance with the directive.