…Frowns at the slow pace of SUBEB contracts in Ogbomoso Zone
The Government of Oyo State said on Thursday that it will deal ruthlessly with any school teacher found to be extorting students of fees it has canceled.
Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Nureni Adeniran, who issued the stern warning on behalf of the state government during an inspection tour some schools in Ido Local Government Area of the state said that acts of indiscipline would not be condoned by the government.
A statement by the Media Officer to the SUBEB Chairman, Olamide Adeniji, quoted the Chairman as saying that the government would immediately clamp down on any school found to be contravening the order of Governor Seyi Makinde canceling the payment of fees in schools.
According
to the SUBEB Chairman, any recalcitrant public Secondary or primary school that
is caught forcing students to pay levies that have been canceled will face
severe punishment.
The statement also indicated that the SUBEB Chairman and other top management
staff of the board had visited schools within Omi-Adio axis in Ido Local
Government area following complaints by parents that schools in the area have
continued to demand fees from students and pupils.
Dr. Adeniran warned teachers against sabotaging Government’s efforts at
bringing succour to the populace.
He said: “It is very sad to note that these Head Masters and their teachers are
recalcitrant to our policy to ensure that basic education is free.
“We are not witch-hunting anybody, rather what we are doing is to cleanse the
system.”
Speaking further at Hope Center Primary School, Omi Adio, one of the suspected
schools, Dr. Adeniran wondered why teachers would disobey Government’s
directives, at the detriment of the future of their pupils.
“A situation whereby children are locked out by teachers because they did not
pay fees that Government has suspended would not be condoned or tolerated by
this administration,” the Chairman emphasised.
In another development, Dr. Adeniran has frowned at the slow pace of ongoing
FGN-UBEC/SUBEB Projects at Ogbomoso zone.
The Chairman expressed the displeasure while inspecting projects at Ogo-Oluwa,
Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, and Oriire Local Government Areas.
He promised that the Board will ensure speedy completion of the projects,
adding: “I am not happy with the situation of projects in Ogbomoso
zone. The Government of Oyo State will ensure these projects are completed, so
we expect these contractors to come to our office and give us reasons why these
projects have been abandoned.”
