Private schools’ owners protest multiple levies in Ogun

Private schools’ owners in Ogun State on Wednesday protested against alleged multiple levies and charges by the state government.

Scores of the private schools’ owners, who gathered under the aegis of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Ogun State chapter, stormed the Nigeria Union of Journalists’ secretariat, Oke Ilewo, Abeokuta, protesting what they described as 150 per cent increase in the fee charged for the First School Leaving Certificate Examination.

They said the fee had been increased from N500 to N2,000.
The protesters displayed placards with inscriptions such as, “Don’t kill private schools with multiple levies, dues and charges,” “The economic downturn affects us and the parents too,” “Do not destroy our educational system by destroying private schools,” “Do not kill private schools with levies,” among others.

The President of the group, Alhaji Rilwan Hassan, said the government had also increased the fee for the Basic Education Certificate Examination from N2,500 to N5,000.

He explained that there was a disparity between the fees and charges payable by public and private schools to the state government for those two examinations.

He argued that the discrimination was affecting the education system in the state.

Hassan said the association had written many letters to relevant authorities, including the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, to intervene in the situation, but there was no response.