AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
EBONYI State Government has ordered the immediate suspension and demotion of the principals of Community Junior High School, Eka-Awoke and Nsuba Okpuitumo, both in Ikwo Local Government Area of the state, for alleged involvement in illegal collection of fees from students.
Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Abakaliki, Okechukwu Nwapku, gave the order during a monitoring exercise of teaching and learning processes of schools in the area.
He also directed the sack of the Principal of Community Junior High School, Igweledoha, over alleged negligence of duty.
Nwakpu directed that the principals be removed while monitoring compliance of effective teaching and learning in both primary and secondary schools in Ebonyi State as directed by Governor David Umahi.
He said the principals of Community Junior High School, Eka-Awoke and Nsuba Okpuitumo, allegedly collected money from students, ranging from N1,500 to N4,500, as registration fee for JSS1, as against the directive of the state government on free and compulsory education.
He said, “The State Government before now ordered that no child in Ebonyi State should pay any money to any teacher or principal in the name of anything apart from the approved N800 for security, sports and badge fees.
“But the two Principals connived with some teachers and were illegally collecting money from the students. As directed by the Governor, this is an act of fraud, which will be investigated further and adequate punishment metted to the perpetrators to serve as deterrent to others that may want to indulge in such illegal act.”
Nwakpu ordered the suspension and transfer of the affected principals to Community Secondary School, Echialike; and Community Secondary School, Ndegu Echara, respectively, as classroom teachers where they would be properly monitored.
At the Community Junior High School, Igweledoha, the Deputy Chief of Staff disclosed that the Junior Principal was removed from office over alleged negligence, non-chalant attitude and acts inconsistent with the educational policy of the state government.
He said the Principal, at about 11am, allowed students to roam the community while they were expected to be in their different classes, adding that aside from those roaming the community, the Principal also failed to ensure that teachers got into their different classrooms to teach the students.
He said many of the teachers, despite being in school by 8am, were all in school till 11am, as of the time of his visit, but were seen in the staff room discussing.
Nwakpu directed the immediate removal of the principal while the second in rank was asked to take over as the Acting Principal till further directives.
The team which monitored schools within Ikwo Local Government Area of the state said that the exercise was part of the state government’s commitment to making sure that teachers carried out their duties and to checkmate the incessant cases of extortion of parents.
He further said that the State Governor directed that all the public schools in the state be monitored and supervised every single day to ensure effective teaching and learning, to boost the literacy level of the state.
