Kogi Govt mulls request to extend payment of WAEC, other examination fees to private Schools – Education Commissioner, Wemi Jones
The Kogi State Government said effort are on the way if adequate data of students in private schools are determined to see if it is possible to extend the payment of West Africa Examination Council, (WAEC) and other fees to private schools to reduce the burden for parents in the State.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Wemi Jones disclosed this when he met with the new executives of the National Association of Proprietors of private schools, (NAPPS).
Hon. Jones noted that, the Government is poised towards the transformation of the educational sector adding that, the payment of WAEC fee is on course in Kogi State and has become law.
The Commissioner asked asked the NAPPS executives to put their demands for inclusion of payment of examination fees and demand for tax harmonization for onward presentation to His Excellency, Gov Usman Ahmed Ododo’s attention.
The Commissioner disclosed that presently in the State, the State Government has declared free education with the payment of all internal and external examination fees.
The Commissioner, however, seeked the support of private school owners in the achievement of government policies and programs that will place Kogi State in the map of development among comity of States.
“The present administration is committed to support parents in Kogi State in the payment of external examination fees which will help to reduce their burdens. It is on this note am appealing to
private schools owner to be transparent on the numbers of students they are having so that the Government can ascertain the actual data of private schools Students in Kogi State. I know the total number of students registered in our public schools.
” I would recall that, when the government decided to pay WAEC fees for public schools students, at first, we did not tell principals of Secondary Schools. What we needed for their registration was to collate their data. We just told them to submit their register. Some of them submitted. When we did the initial summary and got the approval of the Governor to pay for the number of students captured in their register, we published it.
” There was a particular school in Dekina that did not submit their register and claimed to have submitted. Their name did not appear. I must let the public know that, some Principals did a lot of things. They connived with some private Schools to collect students, and later put their names in their register. The number we got initially was 15,033 but when we did our capturing, the number increased by 7,700. You can see that even among public schools some people wants to take advantage of the system”.
While commending the harmonious relationship between the present and the immediate past executive of NAPPS, the Commissioner averred that, his ministry will look into the issue of multiple taxation as raised by the association.
The Commissioner posited that the present administration is making effort to control out of school Children in Kogi State. “The public school system does not have the capacity to accommodate all Children. It will frustrate private Schools out of business. The Government is working round the clock to ensure that our Children attend Schools and get the best from the government in Kogi State”he added.
Earlier the state Chairman of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Pastor Reuben Jimoh said they were in his office to commend the efforts of the State Government in the education sector.
” We in the Private schools are not finding it easy and will appeal to the government to also consider the payment of examination for private schools”.
” We are also constrained to asked that the administration look into the issues of multiple taxation charged Private Schools operators “.
” Presently we are indebted to banks in forms of loans, with parents hardly able to pay school fees and examination fees for their Wards. We are appealing that if the State Government can intervene like they have done in public schools, we would be very much grateful”, praised the administration for repositioning education sector of the State.
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