Follow Us on Google
By Gabriel Dike and Isaac Job, Uyo
Parents in unity schools across the country have kicked against over 100 percent increment in the Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA) levy.
In a circular dated March 18 signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, the government increased the levy from N5,700 to N12,000 per term.
The circular addressed to all Principals, Federal Unity Colleges and signed by Dr. Sani-Gwarzo read: “Following the receipt of multiple requests from various PTA bodies in Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) seeking an increase in the PTA levy to enable them fulfil their obligations within the colleges, the ministry has approved a revised PTA levy.
“The new levy will take effect from the third term of the 2024/2025 academic session.’’
The ministry advised the principals to bring the content of the circular to the attention of the PTA of your college.
The increment is generating ripples among parents with wards in the Unity Colleges as many claimed they were paying more than N12, 000.
A parent with two children at King’s College, Obalende, wondered how he would cope with the payment of the new levy and also pay school fee, boarding and feeding for his two wards.
A mother, Mrs. Adenike (surname withheld) with a son at the Federal Government College, Ijanikin, said the new PTA levy has been a major item of discussion among parents, who are opposed to the increment.
Breakdown of PTA levy paid by parents at King’s College, Lagos, include access card N1, 000, diesel/waste N4, 000, education levy N2, 000, feeding support N2, 000, PTA levy N5, 000 and PTA teachers’ wages N5, 700.
PTA levies that are optional are laundry N9, 000, barbing N1, 000 and mid-day meal N15, 000.
Daily Sun gathered that King’s College PTA has summoned an emergency meeting to deliberate on the education ministry’s March 19, 2025 circular.
A parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the PTA executive at the Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene, had attempted to increase the levy last term but parents resisted and threatened to petition the Federal Ministry of Education before the exco rescinded such decisions.
He said the Unity Schools in Ukana Offot, Uyo and Ikot Obio Itong, have already announced the increment before some concerned parents threatened to draw attention of the Federal Government to the increment as it was affecting them in the present hardship.
He said the ministry quickly stopped the levy and wondered why the same ministry which stopped the arbitrary increment now issued a circular for parents to pay from next term.
He recalled that the controversy caused the PTA executive to shut parents’ WhatsApp platform for many months only for them to reopen a few days ago and announce the increment.
Another parent from the Unity School in Ikot Obio Itong Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, who pleaded anonymity appealed to the Federal Government to investigate how the permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education approved the request for the increment in the PTA levy, when there were other requests before the Minister of Education.
He listed other requests to include employment of teachers across all unity schools, improvement on feeding of students in the hotels, moves to eradicate bullying, extortion of parents during school reopening and fraud by the PTA executives.
“At the Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene, parents were surprised when the PTA said they used N700,000 to buy pure water for parents during the PTA meeting.
“The Permanent Secretary is supposed to address some burning issues in Unity Schools rather than approving an increment in levy for the parents.
“No teachers in unity schools, PTA employ teachers and pay them, while the Federal Government is watching how the schools decay.”
He observed that if the Permanent Secretary had used the energy and immediate alacrity in increasing the PTA levy to address problems confronting unity schools, the Federal Government Colleges would experience a turnaround in both personnel and infrastructure.
“It is unfortunate that the coalition of PTA executives in all the Federal Government Colleges nationwide conspired to mount pressure on the Federal Ministry of Education to increase PTA levy when they failed to achieve it in their plot to swindle parents.
If they had used such pressure to prevail on the Federal Government to employ more teachers, address the problem of bullying, extortion by non academic staff, poor feeding of our children and illegal activities on resumption days, it would have benefitted both the parents, students and Nigeria.”
