Parents and Guardians have protested the astronomic increase in fees and cost of books as children resume for the 2023/2024 academic session.
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Two days ago, parents of children attending the College of Education Warri, COEWA Nursery & Primary School in Warri, Delta State, protested the hike and joined by their children in the protest outside the school gate.
The parents claimed the increment in the prices of the books for the children is outrageous.
At Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North LGA, some parents who spoke with journalists, frowned at the astronomic hike in school fees, books and lamented the fresh admission being done to students passing from Junior Secondary School to senior secondary school.
“It is not pleasing and comfortable with parents at all, because these are children that started from the same school, and now they are promoted to another class you are collecting hundreds of thousands to give a fresh admission, it is bad especially the schools run by the churches, she added.”
They threatened to withdraw their children from school if nothing was done by the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori led administration.
A parent, who spoke with SouthernVoicenews said, “The missionary schools in Ughelli and environs are worst than other private schools. Their books, uniform and even fees does not depict anything missionary as they are all out for material gains, he alleges”.
One of the parents, Tonukarin Dabona, said the COEWA Nursery & Primary School increased the books of his wards from ₦29,500 to ₦52,000, alleging that the school made the books and payment compulsory for each child.
While noting that the parents gathered to protest the increment, Dabona said if the school’s authority does not revert the hike in the prices of books, parents will have no other choices but to withdraw their children and ward from such schools.
SouthernVoicenews also went to notable missionary schools around Warri and Ughelli and environs to sample opinion of parents over the alleged hike in fees, admission and books, but the complaint remain the same as they blame the proprietors of such schools as conscienceless and uncaring.
Parents whose children and wards attends schools such as the Eucharistic Schools, Saint Theresa’s Grammar School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Our Lady’s High school, Word Of Life School, Kingdom Heritage schools and many others, lamented the astronomic hike in fee and appealed to the proprietors to allow parents get their books outside the school.
They however appealed to Governor Oborevwori and all other authorities concern to intervene in the matter.
As at the time of filing this news, efforts to reach authorities concern were not fruitful and their phone. contacts not reachable.