The Anambra State Chapter of South East APC Young Progressives Forum, lead by it's national convenner Mr. Paschal Candle, has called out the Prof Charles Soludo's administration for what it's sees as a big deceit on the part of government, with the recent pronouncement of free education programme in the state. In a press release made available to this newspaper by it's national convenner, the group frowned with dismay, the flagging off of Prof Charles Soludo's free education programme across all government owned nursery, primary and junior secondary school classes in Anambra State, a situation it sees as deceitful.
Recall, the governor, recently abolished all fees, dues and levies running into several thousands hitherto being paid by students in these basic education classes in the state.
However, the group said that it's perplexed on how Governor Soludo will launch with fanfare a programme that is supposed to have been in existence since 2004.
"Let's assume Governor Soludo met a practice on ground where students in primary 1-6 and JSS 1-3 that were not meant to pay any fees were made to pay illegal fees in violation of the UBE Act (as domesticated by Anambra State), why did it take him a year and 5 months to put a stop to it."
"Let us make it clear to Ndi Anambra, The official declaration of the purported free and qualitative education for students in nursery and basic classes (covering Primary 1 to JSS 3) and the attendant joy is not about "tuition fees" as this has long been made free by the previous administrations starting from Dr Chris NGIGE down to Governor Obiano."
Furthermore, the group stressed that in spite of the tuition free regimes, a primary school pupil in a public school in Anambra state pays 1,500 to 3,000 Naira per term depending on the school and location of the School. This long list of these illegal levies totaling about 10 items covered such dues as; exam fee, portal fee, library fee etc.
To drive theIr point home, the group went on to ask the state government to explain to Ndi Anambra and indeed Nigerians, where several thousands of Naira in termly fees and levies that students in primary 1-6 and JSS 1-3 were paying before now are domiciled, which purse were they going into ? who authorised them? Did Anambra State access the UBE 50% marching grant from the Federal Government meant to assist states ensure basic education is free in their schools? If yes, why did the state government still allow students to be exploited and fleeced?
They opined, that now that all fees are abolished, they want to know if PTA levies in all public primary and junior secondary schools are also abolished ? They however lamented that this is another area where corruption thrives in oublic Schools in Anambra state.
"Has the APGA led Government in Anambra been providing Students in Anambra State in the basic education category textbooks in the 4 and 5 of the core subject areas of primary and junior secondary schools respectively as mandated by the UBEC as part of what UBE grants to states cover."
"This is crucial because education is not just about going to school but having instructional materials to learn with. We are aware that most primary schools and many secondary schools in Anambra lack decent school libraries without adequate textbooks for the students to use."
"We therefore ask Governor Soludo to give specific answers to the SCOPE of the free basic education he reintroduced."
They stressed that, their intentions is for the sake of accountability and transparency and nothing more.
"We are also constrained to highlight the very poor state of our public schools across Anambra State. Anambra public primary and secondary schools are fast becoming antiquities with no concerted efforts by the state government to carry out total overhaul of structures in our schools to meet modern standards. We see the kind of model schools poorer states like Borno, Gombe etc are building for their students and wonder why it seems a taboo to build modern, aesthetic schools in Anambra State. It simply means there is zero political will to build such."
The South East APC Young Progressives Forum therefore demanded to know from Governor Chukwuma Soludo why the state government is not contemplating at creating more schools in view of the ever expanding population across the state, and the need for more standard public schools to cater for the qualitative education needs of the growing population in many cities, towns and villages. They said that for the past 18 years, no single new public secondary or primary school have been built by the APGA led government in Anambra State,a situation they said is very unfortunate and must be addressed.
The group therefore appealed to the good people of Anambra State and the civil society organisations in the state and beyond, to step up vigilance and demand for basic accountability and transparency from the Anambra State government and Governor Charles Soludo especially on this issue of free education declaration, so that Ndi Anambra will not be taken on a wild goose chase as usual they concluded.