Fraud, discrepancy in illegal charges uncovered in Akwa Ibom public schools
By Benjamin Jimmy
The recent press statement by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebiet, raising an alarm over illegal charges in public schools and also warning school heads to desist from such acts or be ready to face sanctions, might just be a mere release for the press to feast on, without an enforcement.
Sadly, despite the warning which came about two weeks ago, monumental fraud and illegal charges in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State at present have not only assumed an accentuated dimension of impunity, but the discrepancies with which Principals collect these charges from their students leave so much to be desired.
For parents and guardians who have children in public schools, particularly in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area where this reporter carried out an investigation across all the public secondary schools, the Free and Compulsory Education policy of the state government appears a mere existential sloganeering that shows only an intention instead of an action.
The Crest Newspaper, a local tabloid based in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital, took up the task of uncovering fraud and the discrepancies in illegal charges in public secondary schools when this reporter visited Ibiono Ibom local government area to see if the Akwa Ibom State Government had started its own part of the construction of Ibiono Ibom General Hospital, months after the ground-breaking ceremony.
While walking out of a shop after buying sachet water, this reporter met a middle aged man who was quarrelling over the illegal charges the management of Community Secondary School, Ikot Uneke, allegedly imposed on his who is in SSS2 (Senior Secondary School) class.
According to the man who simply gave his name as Mr. Effiong, it was wrong for the school to impose such illegal charges on his son and even threatened to stop him from writing the first term examinations if he refused to pay for them, all amounting to four thousand two hundred naira.
Mr. Effiong had also questioned the existence and none observance of the policy in practice, on Free and Compulsory Education in the state by the school management.
Worried by Mr. Effiong’s fury, this reporter became interested in finding out the level of compliance to the warning the Honourable Commissioner issued out to all the principals of public schools in the state.
COMMUNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL, IKOT UNEKE
When this reporter visited the school to confirm what then was an allegation from Mr. Effiong, a management staff who apparently thought this reporter was a parent confirmed that the school has charges students must pay for.
According to this high ranking staff who gave a breakdown of the charges, students from SSS1–3 are charged one thousand naira (#1,000) for digitalization, one thousand five hundred (#1,500) for intervention per session, one thousand naira (#1,000) for Parents-Teachers’ Association (PTA), five hundred (#500) for passport photograph, and two hundred (#200) for examination. These charges amount to four thousand two hundred naira (#4,200), the staff summed up.
For the students in junior classes, the management staff said all the charges for senior classes also applied in the junior classes, except passport photograph.
When this reporter asked the staff what digitalization means and whether the state government actually authorised such payment, this response came: “ I don’t know what digitalization is all about, but the government said we should collect it. Our work is to collect this money and send to them”.
On the rationale behind the intervention charge, the senior staff said it was meant to help the school intervene in some areas of maintenance.
“The one thousand five hundred each student pays is the money we use to handle some maintenance, because if you want to wait for the government to maintain the school for you, you will wait forever”.
When this reporter asked for any project that was recently maintained by the school, the management staff simply avoided the question.
Not satisfied with the maintenance story, this reporter sought answers from two students who were seen loitering at 11:17am, about any recent renovation or maintenance of any infrastructure in their school.
The two female students who confirmed to this reporter that they are in SSS2, disclosed that they had never witnessed any maintenance or renovation since they started school.
They however pointed at a new building which they said was constructed and recently handed over to the school by Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
This was confirmed to be true, as the building was where this reporter was taken to, to see the management staff on arrival.
According to further investigation, Community Secondary School, Ikot Uneke, is an institution located strategically in Ibiono Ibom. It services students from over ten communities which include; Ikot Obio Akpan, Ikot Edung, Ekput, Ikot Inyang, Ikot Udo Efim, Ikot Antung, Ikot Akpan Obong, Usuk Ntan, Ikot Uneke, Ikpa, Oko Ita, Ibiatuk, among others.
This reporter also spoke with one man and one woman from Ikot Uneke who confirmed that the school plays host to these communities.
It was also gathered that the population of the school is over two thousand, which implies that the school might be making over #2,000,000 from digitalization and over #3, 000,000 from intervention in a session, a situation that has alluded to the questions raised by Mr. Effiong as to the truism in the free education policy and the seriousness in the Commissioner’s warning.
Despite these charges, particularly the intervention levy, this institution, as at the time this reporter visited, had no signpost that could display its full name and address, especially for visitors going there.
When this reporter asked a student who was returning from school last Wednesday when he visited Ibiono Ibom again, the student confirmed that there was no signpost anywhere in the school.
COMMUNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL, IBIAKU, IBIONO WESTERN
At Community Secondary School, Ibiaku, Ibiono Western, the management staff who spoke to this reporter revealed that SSS1 to SSS3 students are charged three thousand naira (#3,000) for PTA, per session, one thousand five hundred naira (#1,500) for intervention, three thousand naira (#3,000) for utility, two thousand five hundred naira (#2,500) for admission fee, two thousand naira (#2,000) for spade, three hundred naira (#300) for office flat file and five hundred naira (#500) for continuous assessment record. These charges, except utility paid only by SSS3 students, according to the staff, cut across all classes.
When this reporter asked for an explanation of what utility charge is for, the staff obviously did not have anything to say. But when this reporter asked again, this came out: “utility is what the Principal said should be paid by all the students in SS3”.
“For intervention, government said we should collect five hundred naira per term and for a session, it is one thousand five hundred naira. We collect this money because government said we should collect to maintain the school”, the management staff alleged.
On the population of the school, the staff who was not specific, however said the school has over one thousand five hundred students in its enrolment.
This reporter gathered from a motorcycle rider who said he hails from that community that the school services students from the host community and several other neighbouring communities.
From the number of the students, the school might be realizing over #3,000,000 from payment for spade per session.
Similarly, from admission fee, Community Secondary School, Ibiaku, Ibiono Western, might also be realizing over #3,750,000 for a session.
The illegal charges collected by this school, this reporter observed, call for questions as to the truth and sincerity in the school’s mission statement which was displayed on the walls of the library block.
According to the mission statement, point number one states: “ Inculcating sound moral values and fear of God in our students”, while point five reads: “ Leaving lasting legacies for future leaders and even for generation yet unborn”.
COMMUNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL, IKOT USEN
At Community Secondary School, Ikot Usen, where this reporter also visited, a management staff whom this reporter was taken to meet by a member of staff, however refused to say anything pertaining to payments or charges. The staff insisted that the school’s charges were not to be disclosed until a potential student was brought to the school.
Sensing that the staff was suspicious of something, this reporter had to introduce a friendly conversation which, in the process, got all the illegal charges rolled out.
According to the staff, students are charged one thousand five hundred naira ( #1,500) for intervention and one thousand five hundred (1,500) for PTA. These charges, the staff said, cut across all categories of students in the school.
When this reporter asked what intervention means, the management staff alleged that the state government directed all public schools in the state to charge the students for intervention.
The management staff said: “ What we are charging is what state government asked us to charge. All the public schools in this state is collecting these fees. That’s the money we use to do everything in school, because this government is not giving us subvention to run school”.
This reporter also asked about digitalization charge that students at Community Secondary School, Ikot Uneke, pay for, as was revealed by a management staff there.
Responding to the question, the staff said such a charge was strange to them, as the government never authorized for such, a development that points to the level of fraud and discrepancies in illegal charges collected by secondary schools in the state.
Investigation by this reporter revealed that Community Secondary School, Ikot Usen, services students drawn from over ten communities, with a population close to three thousand students. This figure was confirmed by one of the staff who spoke with this reporter in the school.
The communities, according to this staff, include; Usen Ndon, Ntan Ekere, Ikot Ekpenyong, Ibiatuk and Ikot Ebom.
From the population of the students, the school would be making over #2,700,000 per session from PTA levy and this same amount from intervention charge.
However, the irony in the intervention charge by this school is that it is called so, yet there are a lot of projects in the school begging for an intervention.
For instance, this reporter noticed that the walk path from the school gate to the classroom blocks which is less than a- three- minute walk, had the two sides partly cut off by erosion.
When this reporter asked the staff who was leading him to the appropriate office for findings, the staff said the walk path would have been completely cut off, but for the intervention measure regularly carried out by the students.
According to observation, the depths of the two sides destroyed by erosion might be up to four feet each, a potential danger in waiting if a permanent solution is not provided beyond the remedial measure by the students.
COMMUNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL, ITUKHO
At Community Secondary School, Itukho, one of the management staff who reported for work about 10:09 after this reporter had waited for more than twenty minutes, revealed that apart from PTA charge of one thousand five hundred naira (#1,500) per session, intervention of one thousand five naira (#1,500) and five hundred naira (#500) for CA record, there were other charges that were subject to negotiation.
“The other payment is by negotiation. We usually collect money for admission and other things, but by negotiation”.
When this reporter reminded the staff of Free and Compulsory Education in the state, he responded: “ The government doesn’t give us this continuous assessment; it doesn’t give us imprest.
“You know the policy was that government would give Principals imprest to run the school, but it doesn’t come. So, we collect this money because government said we should collect. It is across the state”.
This school, according to the teacher who took this reporter to the school’s staff room to wait for the management to arrive, the population of the students is between one thousand two hundred and one thousand three hundred.
From this number, this school might be realizing over #1,950,000 from intervention and the same amount from PTA per session. This is in addition to other undisclosed charges said to be subject to negotiation.
From findings, the school is attended by students from more than five surrounding communities. They include; Ikot Uba, Ikot Antia, Ikot Essiet and Ikot Obio Asa.
This was confirmed by a farmer whom this reporter met working on her farm near the village road.
IBIONO COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL, EDEM URUA
At Ibiono Community High School, Edem Urua, the story was however different. The senior staff, who said there was no payment for anything in the school, reminded this reporter that there is a Free and Compulsory Education policy in the state which, according to him, does not allow for any collection.
In his words:“ We do not collect any fee from the students, because there is a policy on Free and Compulsory Education in the state.
“Government has not authorized us to collect any money from students, even the intervention payment you mentioned”.
On why the school has not been collecting PTA levy, the staff narrated that there was an issue among the PTA Executive members which led to a stoppage of all activities relating to PTA.
He however stated that plans were on to bring back the committee which would only resume the payment of the PTA charge of one thousand five hundred naira per session.
On digitalization and utility charges, the staff expressed shock over such payments, saying he was unaware of the development.
Confirming from one of the students whom this reporter met in the school compound, apparently going to her class, the student said the last time she paid for a charge was for PTA only which happened in her SSS1 class.
She added that since she resumed in SSS2, no payment has been imposed on them.
UNION SECONDARY SCHOOL, IBIAKU
This reporter also visited Union Secondary School, Ibiaku, to ascertain the kind of charges being imposed on the students.
One of the management staff who was already seated in the office, told this reporter that there was no charge of any sort in the school.
“We don’t have charges here. It’s just for a student to buy all the items for boarding, that is, for a child that wants to board”.
When this reporter asked about intervention specifically, the staff responded: “we don’t pay for such. Government said free and compulsory education”.
“We have up to fifty students who are boarders here. The rest are day students”.
PRESBYTERIAN SENIOR SCIENCE SCHOOL, IDIDEP
When this reporter visited this school, the story was however different. According to one of the management staff who was called out of a meeting to attend to this reporter, the school which has only senior classes, has a policy that all students must board.
In view of this, it was gathered, students at the beginning of this session paid the sum of one hundred and one thousand naira, in addition to acquiring all the recommended boarding items which the staff said are purchased by the students.
The management staff however proposed that fees and other payments might amount to, between one hundred and thirty thousand and one hundred and forty thousand naira in the next academic session.
On whether the school charges for intervention, the staff responded: “ This one hundred and one thousand I said the students paid last session includes something like that.
“ Our payment here is different from other public schools, because we are operating a boarding school where students would have to pay for everything”.
Worried by these levels of fraud and discrepancies among the managers of public schools in this local government, this reporter decided to extend his investigation to another LGA.
ITAM SECONDARY SCHOOL, ITAM, ITU LGA
At Itam Secondary School, Itam, Itu Local Government Area, it was gathered that the students only pay for intervention of one thousand five hundred naira per session and one thousand naira for passport photograph.
This payment for passport, investigation revealed, only applies to the senior students. This position was confirmed in a chat with a friend who happens to teach there.
Other charges such as digitalization, utility, spade, PTA, among others, were unknown to this school, a situation that reveals the extent to which the managers of some institutions have gone in what can best be described as an extortion in disguise and perhaps self-determination of what should be paid for.
Illegal charges in secondary schools unknown to Govt –SSEB
When contacted to comment on the fraud and discrepancies in illegal charges among schools and the allegations by some staff of these schools that government had authorized collection of certain payments, a senior official in the State Secondary Education Board, who confided in this reporter, condemned the acts and confirmed that such charges were unapproved.
In his words, “We have not instructed anybody; any Principal to collect any charge. We stand by the warning publicly given by the Honourable Commissioner for Education.
“So, if any Principal is still in that act as at yesterday (Wednesday, November 23, 2022), I don’t mean the one before the warning. Underline that. Because the one before the warning, they were asked to return the money which I believe they would have done that. If they don’t, it’s up to them.
“But if it is the one as at yesterday (Wednesday, November 23) that you are talking, then it gives one cause for concern”.
No principal is permitted to levy students on anything – ANCOPSS official
While stating his own position on the fraud and discrepancies in charges, a senior official of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) in Akwa Ibom State also condemned the acts perpetrated by those Principals.
According to him, “our position is very clear. We are always supportive of the government and our work is to interpret government’s policies.
“Nobody is permitted to levy the students on anything. Education is free. We stand by that. Any Principal who does that will have to face the music.
“We’re going to issue a stern warning (sic) in the ANCOPSS platform for those Principals. Some of them may say: ‘others have paid. Let us round off’. No! What is illegal is illegal.
“So, let us all heed the instruction of the Honourable Commissioner. It is mandatory. We don’t collect anything. We will not collect.
“I assure you that we will investigate all cases of this collection. We know them, and we have the data. They will be confronted.
“We had a meeting with the Honourable Commissioner on Thursday (November 17, 2022) with all the Principals and schools PTAs were also invited. At that meeting, the Commissioner informed us of a situation on ground that 98 per cent of schools charge illegal levies.
“She came out with the facts and then directed that no such levies: illegal intervention, continuous assessment, belt, beret, digitization and so on should be collected. We heard the Honourable Commissioner very loud and clear and that sounded as a final warning.
“At the level of ANCOPSS, will not take responsibility for any Principal who does not want to hear the advice and keep on collecting illegal money.
“We are satisfied with the free education policy. The only thing I requested the Honourable Commissioner was that the rate of subvention be increased, at least five hundred naira per student and per term. And it should be paid at the beginning of the term so that we can kick start the opening properly”.
When this reporter asked to know if the state government has started paying subvention to schools, the official said:
“Subvention came just this week (i.e. last week). So, let me ask you: assuming we were waiting for this subvention to come, is it now that I would have gone to the market to buy chalk, notes of lesson for teachers, broadsheet to enter scores, class registers for about eighty classes at the rate of seven hundred naira per register?
“So, it means that nothing could have been done. We could have waited and now rush to the market to buy books. But because of those interventions or PTA fund that was approved unofficial for us to collect that we used. Some Principals collected loans.
“We have told the Honourable Commissioner that this problem can be solved if at the beginning of the term, you give us the subvention money and you increase the money. We have seen the rate of inflation in the country. Then, let me see which Principal would be Judas to still look for money”.
Educationists condemn acts of illegal levies
Earlier in an interaction with The Crest Newspaper, a senior educationist in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area who would not want to be mentioned denied knowledge of any illegal collection by school principals.
She argued that there was no way she could have known that fraud was going on in the schools in the area, given that none of her children is in a public school which she said would have revealed the misconduct.
The educationist however assured that she would carry out her investigation to ascertain those behind the fraud, and promised to sanction any Principal found culpable.
While giving his perspectives on the issue in an interview with this reporter on Sunday, another educationist and a retired lecturer of the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, Dr. Ekanem Ekanem, observed that it was wrong for the state government to think that it can run education alone, without seeking for the support of parents whom he described as co-partners in the education business.
Dr. Ekanem inferred that there was no way the system could have run successfully without abuses and malpractice on the part of most Principals, especially as parents were erroneously made to believe that education is free and compulsory, and consequently, not made to be involved.
He said: “Government alone cannot run and fund education. Perhaps they want to show that they can run it alone.
“How can you make education free? Once you ask parents to stay away from it that it is free; whereas, in the real sense of it, education involves counterpart funding. Every time; it should be so”.
When asked to expound on what he meant by counterpart funding, Dr. Ekanem had this to say: “it is not possible that government alone can fun education.
“This is because there is so much for the government. Even in their budget, they cannot appropriate well for the sector. How many percentage have they been budgeting for education?
“So, it is a sheer waste of time for the government to say that we want to do all alone. Let’s parents come in and they will cherish; they will know the value of education.
“I’m emphasizing that education is too big for government alone. Let’s allow parents to come in. Probably, when they do, the impact of the policy will be much felt”.
