The Rivers State Government has abolished the payment of fees and levies in all State-owned primary and secondary schools.
This followed a directive from Governor Nyeso Wike on Monday at a meeting with the Heads of Primary and Secondary Schools, Senior Secondary Schools Board and Universal Basic Education Board at Government House, Port Harcourt.
The directive is with immediate effect.
According to the governor, the decision to abolish all forms of fees and levies in public primary and secondary schools across the state was to promote access to quality education.
He warned that any school head who goes contrary to the directive will be dismissed and prosecuted.
“From today henceforth, no child either in primary or secondary school should pay fees and levies in any school across the state.
“The monies you collect from these children are just used for your personal purposes.
“If I hear that any school head collects any fees or levies, be they NECO or WAEC fees, that school head would be sanctioned.
“We shall not only dismiss the school head who collects fees or levies, we will prosecute the person involved.
“Government will work out grants that will be sent to the schools for their regular management and operations,’’ he told those at the meeting.
Wike directed the Ministry of Education, the Senior Secondary Schools Board and the Universal Basic Education Board to monitor all public schools across the state to ensure full compliance.
