- As SUBEB Cracks Down To Protect Free Education
The Head Teacher of the New Era Primary School, Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State (name withheld), has been suspended by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) over alleged illegal collection of N2,000 from pupils for primary six results.
The Chairman of SUBEB, Hon Samuel Mariere, who announced the suspension while addressing public primary education stakeholders 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.
Mariere said the current 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 have refused to desist from illegal collections, noting that the act is one of the reasons why some of them continue to resist transfer because of the fortune they made over time as heads of schools. The SUBEB Boss stressed that the state government seriously frowned 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.
He 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.
Mariere assured stakeholders that with the approval of N3.55 billion by the State Executive Council, there would be growth in public primary schools in the state, saying that Oshimili North would not be left out in the building of more classroom blocks, renovation of dilapidated ones and provisions of school furniture.
The SUBEB Chairman added that the board had budgeted over N140 million for school farms and agro-skill development for pupils to gain knowledge and experience in farming.
He appealed to the local governments in the state to pay the 10 per cent 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.
The Chairman of Oshimili North Local Government, Innocent Esewezie, represented by the Head of Personnel Management (HPM), Mrs Stella Ofunne, welcomed the ongoing reforms and pledged the Council’s support to revamp public primary schools.
The Oshimili North Education Secretary, Austin Odogwu, said his office would enforce discipline in schools to ensure quality service delivery, even as he commended 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 LEA as it is currently in bad shape.
