Delta sacks 35 principals, demotes 10 chief inspectors over illegal fees

Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

Thirty -five principals, 10 chief inspectors of education and six others have been sacked, demoted and arrested by the Delta State government between 2018/2019, the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chiedu Ebie, has said.

Speaking at a media briefing in Asaba on Wednesday, the commissioner disclosed over 47, 000 applicants have so far applied for teaching vacancies recently advertised for, adding that only 1, 000 would be employed and be sent to rural areas where there has been a shortfall of teachers, especially in secondary schools.

Admitting that the state government had in the last two years been battling with illegal fees collection at various schools across the state, the commissioner further disclosed that the “illegality had eaten deep into the education system in the state, especially at primary school level where the headmasters/mistresses allegedly make it compulsory for students/pupils to summit consumable items before writing any examination.”

The commissioner confirmed that the state government has renovated 4,180 schools across the state, adding that “we have discovered illegal levies collection, and the state government has been battling this problem, we have only approved N100 for things in the schools and we have found that the heads of schools have not adhered to the instructions.

“The state government has arrested as a result of the illegality six principals/ teachers, demoted 10 chief inspectors of education, sacked 35 principals, yet the problem seems to be there.

“The state government under the leadership of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa is committed to free education; we have 1, 125 public schools, 465 secondary schools and six technical schools, but what we see in this state is many people are mischievous, Okowa is doing well and people should applaud him.” Ebie added.

The commissioner said a total of N13.6 billion was recently paid as education counterpart fund, adding “the teaching vacancies are for those who graduated in sciences and English Language; the state government will only employ 1, 000 who will be sent to rural areas where there are insufficient teachers in the recent past and this is the first phase because of the approved N30, 000 minimum wage, we are very careful not to run into troubled waters. So the second phase will come up much later.”

On the state of infrastructure in various schools, Ebie stated that it was important to clarify that various schools across the state have been provided with the best, adding that as a responsible government, ” it is our duty to address issues that affect the citizenry of the state and in doing so, we shall continue that renovation works as we have considered it important to employ the parents of the little girl who was sent out of school for not paying school fees, the state government doesn’t collect school fees.”