Prof. Uche Eze, Commissioner for Education in Enugu State, has warned heads of public primary and secondary schools not to engage in collection of illegal levies.
Eze gave the warning in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Nsukka on Monday.
He said that any headmaster or principal reported of colleting illegal levies should be ready to face the consequences.
According to him, the culprit will face the disciplinary committee of the ministry and if found guilty will suffer appropriate punishment.
“We have told parents in the state that anytime they are asked to pay any levy, they should contact the ministry to enable us to verify if such levy is approved by government.
“If the ministry discovered that such levy is illegal, the levy will be stopped immediately and the affected principal, headmaster or headmistress will face the disciplinary committees of the ministry.
“If the official is found guilty by the committee he or she may risk sack, demoted to a classroom teacher or any other form of punishment that the committee may recommend.
“Already some school heads have been punished for collecting illegal levies,’’ he said.
He said the ministry was currently conducting census of primary and secondary schools in both private and public schools to fish out illegal schools in the state.
“The ministry is aware that some schools operating in the state are not registered after the ongoing census of primary and secondary schools; we will be able to fish out illegal ones.
“The law says before anyone can operating a school, it must be registered and approved by the Ministry of Education else is illegal,” he said
The commissioner said after the census all the schools operating illegally in the state would be shutdown no matter whose ‘Ox is gored’ and their proprietors prosecuted.
Eze also told NAN that arrangement had been concluded renovate dilapidated public primary and secondary schools in the state.
The commissioner noted that state government had already placed advertisement for contractors that would carry out the renovation.
“Very soon the state will start massive renovation of dilapidated schools in the state, especially those in rural areas to provide enabling environment for teaching and learning.
Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as lover of education is putting measures in place to ensure that children study in friendly environment. (NAN)