We Have Not Introduced Fees In Public Schools -Osun
Osun State government on Tuesday debunked the rumour making the rounds that students of public schools in the state are being sent out of their classrooms for nonpayment of school fees.
A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Adelani Baderinwa stated that at no time in the political lifespan of the Aregbesola led administration were fees charged in public schools.
The commissioner described as criminal, any attempt to send out any student out of school on account of nonpayment of school fees, adding that no student was sent out on such account in the past.
He however stated that what is obtainable in the Osun education system is the payment of Education Trust Levy (ETL), which is N500 per term for pupils and students in both public and private schools in the state.
Baderinwa said, “With the completion of the state of the art elementary, middle and high schools, the government introduced School Infrastructure Maintenance Levy (SIML), the circular of which was issued in January, 2017.
“The SIML is payable by pupils/students in the newly constructed elementary, middle and high schools only.
“For pupils in the newly constructed or rehabilitated elementary schools which are 20 in number, they are to pay a sum of N2000 per annum. This sum, if divided by three, would give us N666.6 per term.
“Students in the new Middle schools (of which 25 have been completed) are expected to pay N3000 per annum, which gives us N1000 per term if divided by three.
“For the newly constructed High schools, students are to pay N6000 per annum; if this amount is divided into three, it means each student would pay N2000 per term as School Infrastructure Maintenance Levy”.
He insisted that the levy serves as commitment and sense of belonging for the parents of pupils in the new schools.
He urged parents and guardians to, as a matter of duty and responsiveness, pay the levies to support the future of their wards and compliment the genuine efforts of government.
