By Charles Igwe
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has taken disciplinary action against four school principals in the state for failing to adhere to the government’s “free education policy.”
According to a press statement from the state Ministry of Education’s Public Relations Officer, Nnaemeka Egwuonwu, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, announced the suspension.
The suspended principals include Nkem Nkechi of Washington Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha; Onwurah Catherine of Kenneth Dike Secondary School, Awka; Dr. Cordelia Okonkwo of New Era Secondary School, Onitsha; and Amaka Ubaka of Prince Memorial High School, Onitsha.
They were accused of acting in violation of the state’s policy on free education. A committee has been formed to investigate their actions, and if found guilty, the principals may be required to refund the collected amounts.
The governor, during his visits to Premier Primary School Odume Obosi and Ado Girls Secondary School Onitsha, emphasized that, in line with the solution-free education policy, no child from early childhood education to Junior Secondary School should pay any fees. Additionally, the policy caps fees for Senior Secondary students at a maximum of N5,000.
Despite these clarifications, the four principals were alleged to have violated the policy, leading to their suspension.
The statement expressed surprise that the principals disregarded the repeated announcements of the Solution Free Education policy by the governor, highlighting the importance of strict compliance with government policies in the education sector.
