Solanke Ayomideji Taiwo
Parents and guardians of students attending Baptist Boys High School have raised serious concerns over what they described as an illegal levy imposed on students by the school management under the guise of “security fees.”
According to reports gathered by our correspondent, students of the prestigious secondary school in Abeokuta were allegedly directed to pay the sum of N1,000 each as a compulsory security fee before being allowed full access to academic activities.
The development has sparked outrage among parents, many of whom condemned the action as extortion, especially in the face of the current economic hardship confronting many Nigerian families.
Some parents who spoke anonymously expressed disappointment that such a demand could emanate from one of the oldest and most respected public schools in Ogun State.
“We were shocked when our children informed us that they were asked to bring N1,000 for security purposes. Education is already expensive for struggling parents, and now schools are introducing questionable charges without proper consultation,” one parent lamented.
Another guardian described the levy as unfair and insensitive, insisting that public schools should not impose arbitrary fees on students without government approval.
“This is not what public education should represent. If there are security concerns, the government and relevant authorities should address them officially, not by compelling students to pay money,” the parent added.
The issue has since generated widespread reactions among residents and education stakeholders in Abeokuta, with many calling for urgent intervention by the Ogun State Government.
Parents are now appealing to the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, to immediately investigate the matter and ensure that students and parents are not subjected to illegal financial demands, while some parents claimed that a decision was made at the Parents Teachers Association PTA meeting for a student to pay a sum of One Thousand Naira to support the security of the school in the face of attacks by scavenger stealing the students stationaries and other valuable items.
Meanwhile, some parents who speak on anonymity said various stakeholders were consulted including the parents of the junior and senior school and the concluded that a student should pay a sum of N1,000 One thousand naira to support the security of valuables within the school premises, they intended to purchase CCTV cameras to cover strategic positions of the school.
They further urged the Ministry of Education to set up an independent investigative committee to determine the circumstances surrounding the alleged levy and sanction anyone found culpable.
Education advocates have also warned that unchecked charges in public schools could further discourage enrollment and place additional burdens on parents already battling rising living costs.
As of the time of filing this report, the management of Baptist Boys High School had yet to officially respond to the allegations.
Concerned residents and parents are hopeful that the state government will act swiftly to protect students and restore confidence in the administration of public schools across Ogun State.
My question is this before this article was published, has there been any investigation on the part of Amebo news, if not you are indeed an Amebo who is publishing just an hearsay, let me ask, if you are aware of the security challenges the school is facing from external agreesions where quite a number of the students were injured during a recent attack within the school environment.
ReplyDeleteKindly verify your news before publishing.