Parents accuse Akwa Ibom Unity School of N12m extortion

…Accusation not true, says school principal

Parents and guardians at the Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom state, have petitioned the Federal Ministry of Education over alleged multiple charges imposed on them by the school management and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).

The parents alleged that about N20,000 was demanded from each Senior Secondary One (SS1) student for uniforms and mattress covers, despite payments allegedly made through the Federal Government’s Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) system.

They claimed the demand could translate to about N12 million if imposed on 600 SS1 students alone.

The parents also alleged that mattresses donated to students by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) were not released without an additional payment of N7,500, while another N12,500 was demanded for uniforms.

The parents called on the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, to investigate the allegations and dissolve the PTA executive, while threatening to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The controversy followed the resumption of students after a two-week strike by the teaching staffers against concession of unity schools recently.

Speaking with journalists during the resumption exercise Monday, a parent, Mr Etim Ikong, whose ward is in SS1, alleged that parents had already paid N25,000 for uniforms among other items through the RRR to the federal government coffers.

 He said parents presented their bank tellers at the school for verification but were subsequently asked to pay another N20,000 before their children could be admitted into the hostels.

Ikong said the additional payment was broken down into N7,500 for a mattress cover and N12,500 for uniforms.

He alleged that the mattress component was particularly troubling because the mattresses had reportedly been donated by the NDDC and delivered to the school during the holidays.

“Instead of the school management releasing the mattresses to the students on resumption, parents were asked to pay N7,500 before they could receive them,” he alleged.

He added that parents were also required to pay N12,500 before uniforms were released.

Another parent, Chinedu Ike, expressed disappointment over what he described as an unnecessary financial burden on parents.

Ike, who said he was initially unable to pay the demanded amount, stated that he had to contact his brother in Abia state to transfer money before his son could be admitted.

However, the principal of the school, Mr Emmanuel Didi, denied the payment in a telephone interview maintaining that the amount was actually reduced from N25,000 to N20,000 following complaints from parents.

He said the payment covered uniforms and mattress covers for the students adding, “Initially, we planned to collect N25,000 from female students, but because of the outcry, we asked both boys and girls to pay N20,000,” he said.

He urged parents to express their concerns that the school would address any complaints raised through the appropriate channels.