KINGSLEY EBERE
The Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, Anambra State Branch has commended Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s administration for major reforms in the education sector.
In a statement issued in Awka, the group acknowledged government efforts such as free and compulsory basic education, recruitment of teachers based on merit, and the ban on cultural, graduation, and Christmas parties in schools. According to CLO, these parties had previously become avenues for excessive financial demands on parents and students.
The organization, however, expressed concern that these positive steps may not achieve the desired impact if the issue of high fees in mission and private schools is not urgently addressed.
Signed by the Chairman, Evangelist Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, and Secretary, Comrade Chidi Mbah, the statement noted that CLO has received numerous complaints from parents and guardians across the state. Many of them, the group said, are struggling to meet the financial demands of mission and private schools despite the government’s free education policy in public schools.
CLO cited the case of a parent who was asked to pay over ₦700,000 for a child to gain admission into SSS1. The organization added that some schools charge new students between ₦800,000 and ₦1,000,000. The group argued that such amounts are beyond the reach of many families and contradict the government’s intention of making education affordable and accessible after returning some schools to mission proprietors.
The organization also stated that when parents mention the government’s free education policy, they are sometimes told to enroll their children in public schools. CLO described this response as discouraging, especially in institutions that also benefit from government support, including payment of salaries and other forms of assistance.
“Should mission education operate without supervision? Why should government provide funding and salaries without having regulatory authority?” CLO asked in the statement.
To address the situation, CLO is appealing to Governor Soludo to direct the Commissioner for Education to carry out unscheduled inspections and proper regulatory assessments of mission and private schools in the state. The organization is also calling for a clear, enforceable policy on school fees to prevent exploitation.
Quoting former Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, CLO said: “The inaction of those who should act, and the silence of the voice of justice when it is needed most, gives room for wrongdoing to thrive.”
The group said it is seeking the Governor’s immediate intervention to restore public trust and ensure that every child in Anambra has access to quality and affordable education, regardless of the type of school they attend.
