Recession: Buratai slashes fees at Army schools

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, has ordered the immediate review of the school fees of all Army command primary and secondary schools in the country.
He said the directive was aimed at ameliorating the financial burden faced by the army personnel in the education of their children and wards.
Buratai, who made this known at the just concluded COAS second and third quarter conference held in Abuja, also said the reduction of the school fees of children and wards of personnel would go a long way to boost the morale of troops while carrying out their duties.
Buratai, who said the performances of troops in assigned tasks can only be complemented by sustainable welfare programmes, said the army under his leadership has introduced several welfare programmes to better the living condition of personnel.
He said: “The performance of troops in assigned tasks can only be complemented by sustainable welfare programmes.
“Consequently, some welfare initiatives have been introduced in order to boost troops’ morale in the Nigerian Army (NA).
“These include affordable quality education to children and wards of military officers, soldiers and selected civilians in Command Secondary and Primary Schools.
“Accordingly, I have ordered a downward review of school fees in these schools, in order to lessen the financial burden faced by the NA personnel towards the education of their children and wards.