Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Tuesday directed the Commissioner of Education and top officials of the ministry to offer written explanations on funds collected illegally from parents.
Wike gave the query in Port Harcourt at a meeting with Principals of Public Secondary Schools in the state.
He also directed principals of public schools to provide written explanations on how they expended unapproved levies collected from parents.
According to Wike, the commissioner’s explanations should be submitted to the Chief of Staff, Government House in four hours, while that of the principals should be sent to the same office on Friday.
Wike said: “I hereby direct the Commissioner of Education, the Permanent Secretary and the Director of Education to within the next four hours, provide written explanations on the issue of the collection of unapproved levies.
“Tabulate the monies collected.
“How much was collected?
“How much got to the Education Ministry?
“How much was left with the principals?
“If this is not done, all of you will be suspended.
“Also, explain how much levies are being charged the students and to which account are the monies paid to.
“Who is the approving authority of such an account?
“I will not spare anyone involved in defrauding our parents.”
Prof. Kaniye Ebeku, the Commissioner of Education, said majority of the 534 public secondary school principals in the state were in attendance.
Dr. Patricia Ogbonnaya, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, and the Director of Secondary Education, Mae Solomon, gave explanations on how the levies came about.
They said the levies became effective following meetings held by the top civil servants, Nigerian Union of Teachers and All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools of the Ministry during the immediate past administration.
They said that no formal memorandum had been written to Wike to seek his approval for the levies charged.
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