By Francis Nansak, Lafia
Some parents at Karu Local Government Area , Nasarawa State have bitterly complained over outrageous charges on school fees , handcrafts and other irregular demands on their wards.
The parents who threatened withdrawing their children from schooling in private schools , lamented that despite the hard economic situation they now pay schools fees abiterally. Adding that private schools owners are taking advantage of unsuspecting parents to hike school fees unchecked by government.
” We are tax to provide toiletries, like soaps ,tissue papers, antiseptics and sometimes brooms, and these are not just any how items.We buy sometimes Izal, Dettol and Dove soap, which at the end of the day a parent can spent not less than #2000 to #2500 in the name of handcraft during exams” A parent said.
Our correspondent gathered that this act is very common in schools at Karshi, New Karu, Mararaba,Masaka and Uke.Same practice are prevalent in other schools in Keffi and Nasarawa LGAs.
Another parent ,Mr Andrew ,second name withheld who obliged to speak on the matter, said” I believe I am contributing in stocking the school provision.i have Three of my children schooling in a private school at Uke.Apart from paying for school fees,transport fee,each examination time ,I will have to buy soaps, tissue papers,brooms for my children to take to school as handcrafts.
” I have observed with dismay that school has a provision shop manager by proprietor,where pupils and students go to buy snacks and other consumables which have, become another way parents are extorted.Soni think is high time government put a stop to these unwholesome practice of private schools proprietors” He lamented.
Against this backdrop, the State Chairman, National Association of proprietors of Private Schools(NAPPS) Honourable Boniface Iornumbe in a telephone conversation said he was not aware of such practice among his members
Boniface said they lay more emphasis on creative arts to encourage children to be productive by asking them to present hand made crafts and not already made items as toiletries” it is the public schools that ask for already made items from their pupils and students during exams as handcraft but for us in the private schools we don’t” He reacted.