Niger Assembly summons commissioner over alleged collection of fees in schools

The Niger State House of Assembly on Wednesday summoned the state Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Hannatu Salihu, over alleged collection of illegal fees from primary six pupils in schools across the state.

The Assembly resolved to summon the commissioner following a motion on matters of urgent public importance moved by a lawmaker representing Paikoro constituency, Alhaji Gambo Suleiman, at the plenary.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Abdullahi Wuse, who read the resolutions, directed the commissioner to appear before the lawmakers to explain the reason behind the imposition of the fees in schools.

He said parents had reported to the House that fees ranging from N400 to N2,000 were being collected from the pupils.

The speaker directed the schools to refund the fees to the parents with immediate effect.

READ ALSO: Niger Assembly Deputy Speaker resigns, lawmakers replace him

Wuse said the Assembly had resolved that persons involved in the act should be arraigned in court for possible prosecution.

Earlier in his presentation, Suleiman told the lawmakers that pupils in exit class in the state were being charged N400 and above ahead of their examination.

He urged the Assembly to invite the chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to explain why pupils were asked to pay fees in the state.

The lawmaker stressed that Niger State Universal Basic Education Board Law 2005, Section 19 (1), (2) and Section 19 (1) stipulates that the state government shall provide free and compulsory basic education for any child of primary and junior secondary school age in the state.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now