Dr Kanelechi Nwangwa, Abia State Commissioner for Education has warned heads of private schools in the state against charging above the government approved 30 percent fees for pupils and students.
He gave the warning in Umuahia on Friday after monitoring the progress of schools which resumed studies around the state. Just three days into post-Covid-19 reopening, many schools in Umuahia drove away students over school fees, jettisoning the state government directives that schools, particularly private schools should charge only 30 percent of the normal school fees.
The commissioner frowned at the issue, describing it as “inhuman”.
“It is heartless, it is not fair, the state government will make a statement to stop that,” he fumed.
News Echo discovered that many pupils are still at home playing, as at Friday because of their parents’ inability to pay some exorbitant fees imposed by private school owners. However, many of the government owned schools based in Umuahia and Aba has resumed studies.
But the same cannot be said of those in rural areas. At Ama Abo and Akpiri Elu-Elu primary schools in Ikwuano LGA, no pupils or teachers were seen in the schools. But at Ibeku High School, Umuahia and Afara technical college, teaching and learning were progressing smoothly.