Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has declared a ban on all types of payments in primary and secondary schools across the state.
In his New Year address, Otti emphasized his administration’s commitment to securing the future of the children, stating, “We have eliminated all forms of payments in public primary and secondary schools. Parents and guardians are no longer required to pay PTA levies or any other charges.”
To support the seamless functioning of public schools, the governor introduced a new financial framework.
“We have introduced an imprest account system for the running of schools. Headteachers and school principals are now entitled to specific sums every month for managing the day-to-day operations of their schools.
“There is therefore no excuse to extort or deny any child the opportunities that come with learning and enlightenment. We shall be strict with enforcement, and it will be a grievous mistake to test our will,” he asserted.
The governor laid out his administration’s plans for 2025, emphasising the urgency of his government’s developmental agenda.
“We are practically in a hurry; we want to live in fulfilment of the dreams of this administration: to build systems and structures, to rebuild our state, and to realign governance priorities to reflect the true aspirations of the people.
“We have since evolved a system that prioritises the needs of the downtrodden by paying attention, listening carefully, and channeling public resources to where they yield the highest social and economic dividends to the majority,” he said.
Otti revealed that 35 per cent of the state’s entire budgetary outlay would be directed to education and health, highlighting the role these sectors play in Abia’s transformation.
“We shall fast-track efforts to remake our schools into centres of excellence in effective teaching and learning. As you may know, the law mandating all children of school age to be in school every school day comes into effect from today.
“As soon as the new school term begins later in the month, it will be unlawful to find any child outside the walls of the classroom during school hours,” he said.
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