Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has ordered the suspension of the N3, 700 education levy inherited from the previous administration.
The Governor, who decried the public outcry generated by the fee, said his administration did not introduce it, stating it was a proposal by Parents Teachers Association (PTA) accepted and implemented by the previous administration.
Abiodun made this known at a day stakeholders forum with the theme โRepositioning education for outstanding performanceโ in Abeokuta.
He said that the fee which was an initiative of the PTA was approved under the last administration.
He however said he was suspending it to make good his promise of free, universal and qualitative education in public primary and secondary schools in the state
โI have been criticised in the media about the N3,700 PTA fee. I did not introduce the fee.
โIt was proposed by the PTA and accepted by the previous administration. The fee negates the free education policy of this administration. It is like payment through the back door.
โI hereby suspend the payment in all our schools. We will also look into the issue of Principal and Headmaster Generals,โ he declared.
Abiodun announced the restoration of the running costs for all primary school head teachers and principals of secondary schools.
While looking at the items on the list of what necessitated the introduction of the levy, Governor Abiodun said he had told his team to critically look at insurance, caps, inter house sport wears and some other things.
โI have told them to go and look at and how we can make it work without having to charge anybody because we promised we are going to offer free education, โhe said.
He said his administration has embarked on the rehabilitation of 236 primary and secondary Schools just as some of the non-functional model schools would be converted to TechHUB, technical and vocational centres.