The Lagos State Government on Thursday cautioned parents not to pay any fee or levy for the Junior Secondary School (JSS3) Basic Education Certificate Examination for students in the state.
Mrs Adebunmi Adekanye, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, said this on Thursday in Alausa while reacting to alleged extortion from parents whose children would be sitting for the examination.
Adekanye said the state government had paid the fees of all students sitting for the examination in the state.
According to her, JSS3 students sitting for the BEC examination in the state should not pay any money to anyone under any guise, as all fees relating to the examination have been fully paid by the state government.
She warned public officials to desist from extorting money from parents under various guises which included payment for practical examinations.
She said anyone caught in the act would face the consequences of their action.
Adekanye said that in furtherance of the free education policy of the state government, all fees for all terminal examinations such as BECE and West Africa Senior School Certificate of Education were fully paid by the government.
She said the gesture was to ease the burden on parents as well as create equal opportunities for all qualified students to sit for the examinations and prove their mettle, irrespective of the circumstances or financial position of their parents.
Adekanye urged students and parents to report any government official requesting for money whatsoever to the Tutor-Generals in their education districts or ministry of education, Alausa, for prompt action. (NAN)