By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
Chairman of Delta State Universal Basic Education Board SUBEB, Hon. Samuel Mariere, has wielded the big stick of suspension on the Head Teacher (Name withheld) of New Era Primary School Okpanam, in Oshimili North local government over an alleged illegal collection of Two thousand naira (N2,000) from pupils for the collection of primary six results.
Hon. Samuel Mariere, who announced the suspension while addressing public primary education stakeholders in Oshimili North at Akwukwu-Igbo, headquarters of the local government council, said the board had warned against such collections as directed by the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.
Mariere said the present administration in the state had made it clear that education at the primary level is free and warned Head Teachers against extortion from parents and wards.
He expressed disappointment that some unrepentant head teachers had refused to desist from illegal collections, noting that the act is one of the reasons why some of them will continue to resist transfer because of the fortune they made over time as heads of schools.
The Subeb Boss stressed that the state government seriously frowned against any form of extortions in the guise of printing examination question papers and collection of results, saying that public primary education is completely free of charge in Delta State.
Mariere, a two term member of the Delta State Assembly and former Commissioner in the state, warned Head Teachers who are still in the business of illegal collections in their schools to repent or faced dismissal from service when caught.
He called on stakeholders in public primary education to help monitor and supervise teachers in their localities and to report to the board anyone found doing the wrong things, particularly in the areas of poor commitment to work, absenteeism and extortions.
Hon Mariere assured stakeholders that with the approval of 3.55 billion naira by the State Executive Council, there would be growth in public primary schools in the state, saying that Oshimili North will not be left out in the building of more classroom blocks, renovation of dilapidated ones and provisions of school furnitures.
The Subeb Chairman added that the board had budgeted over 140 million naira for school farms and agro skill development for pupils to gain knowledge and experience in farming.
He appealed to the local government councils in the state to pay the 10% total emoluments of teachers and local education authority staff as required by the UBEC law to run the day to day activities of the schools, while thanking Obi Azuka of Akwukwu-Igbo kingdom for his support on reforms in public primary education.
Chairman, Oshimili North, Hon Innocent Esewezie, represented by the Head of Personnel Management, Mrs Stella Ofunne, welcomed the ongoing reforms and pledged the Council’s support to revamp public primary schools.
Education Secretary, Oshimili North, Elder Austin Odogwu, said his office would enforce discipline in schools to ensure quality service delivery, even as he thanked the state government for the recent recruitment of teaching and non teaching staffs.
He made some request, including appealing to the board to renovate the office of the local education authority as it is currently in bad shape.