The administration in Ekiti State under Governor Ayo Fayose had between 2015 and 2018 introduced a levy in basic and secondary schools which didn’t go down well with some parents and even policy makers.
However, the just reelected Governor Kayode Fayemi has wasted no time in abolishing the levy structure in schools in the state and sought to fashion better modalities to ensure that education is affordable to all on the one hand and improve financing, quality and reliance on the other.
Stakeholders across the state reacted differently to the decision of the new governor to cancel the education levy imposed on pupils of both private and public primary and secondary schools in the state.
Former governor Fayose had in 2015 imposed N500 and N1000 education levy in both private and public primary and secondary schools respectively as part of the measures to shore up internally generated revenue in the state.
The Catholic Church challenged the action in court but lost. The church has, however, appealed the ruling.
Fayemi, in cancelling the levies and backing it with an Executive Order, said his government would also continue with the free education policy adopted during his first tenure in office just as he banned the various fees being collected by public schools in the state.
While some residents commended the governor’s action describing it as a positive development, some, however, said the government should have continued with the policy to generate more money to enable it address the numerous challenges facing it.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Princess Adekunbi Obaisi, noted that the new policy would go a long way at strengthening the education policy in the state, with the chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers in the state, Mr Samuel Olugbesan, also commending the move, describing it as the beginning of a new dawn in the education sector in the state.
A parent, Hon. Femi Bamisile, also lauded the education policy, describing it as declaration of emergency in the sector, adding that it would among other things alleviate the sufferings of the masses, especially parents and guardians across the state irrespective of background, described as an enemy of the society. The beauty of democracy is for the government to work for the people.”
However, Mrs Titilayo Akinnola, said Fayemi should have continued with the policy to help the revenue base of the state which solely depend on the monthly allocation from the federation account.
Speaking in the same vein, a teacher in one of the public schools in Ado Ekiti, who did not want his name mentioned, urged the governor to bring back the levies and use the proceeds to put public schools in the state in good shape.
He said: “You need to visit some of these schools, especially those in the rural areas. Some are dilapidated, some without toilets, no conduce classrooms, or staff rooms, yet we are saying the state is running free education.”
But the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, Most Reverend Felix Ajakaye, commended the policy, saying however that the church would continue with the court case on the education tax despite the cancellation of the levies by Governor Fayemi.
Ajakaye, while speaking at a thanksgiving mass held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral Church, Ado-Ekiti, as part of activities to mark Governor Fayemi’s inauguration, said the Court of Appeal had returned the case to the lower court for reassignment for fresh hearing.
