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Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Imo State, governor, Emeka Ihedioha has warned all secondary school teachers in the state to henceforth stop extorting money from students, hammering that defaulters would be severly dealt with.
The governor who handed down the warning through the commissioner for education in the state, professor Viola Onwuliri during an interractive session with principals of public secondary schools in the state yesterday , also tasked them to eschew corruption , in order to rebuild the badly battered education sector of the State.
Onwuliri who also informed that the governor has banned all forms of levy in secondary schools in the state added that he is tired of series of complaints of extortion and illegal levies in some Schools and cautioned principals to desist from such acts.
She pointed out that the imposition of such illegal levies and fees placed additional burdens on parents, who she stressed were already overburdened with the harsh economic situation of the country.
Onwuliri also reminded the principals of reports of imposition of illegal Parents Teachers’ Association (PTA) and other levies. She said “apart from being inimical to the development of the education sector, were tarnishing the image of the Rebuild Imo Government.
“The government of His excellency , Emeka Ihedioha, has provided instructional materials, paid teachers and pensioners complete salaries and pensions up to date.
“I wonderwhy some principals are bent on extorting their students, inspite of the fact that salaries were being paid regularly. No principal has been authorized to collect PTA or any other levies. Onwuliri stated.
Reminding the teachers of two of their colleagues that fell victim to extortion recently , she said “two erring Principals were earlier suspended but has been re-instated after refunding the money. But we would not spare any teacher in future who violates this warning” Onwuliri said.
She however emphasised that corruption and mismanagement of the education sector, prevalent in the past 8 years, was responsible for the present deplorable state of education in the State.
