In a bid to create access to quality education,  Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has announced the abolition of all forms of fees and levies  in public primary and secondary schools across the state.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike

Wike directed state-owned primary and secondary schools  to stop collecting fees and levies from students and pupils with immediate effect.

Wike stated that henceforth, the state government will be sending direct allocations  to all primary and secondary schools management for their operations.

He spoke, yesterday, during a meeting with the heads of primary and secondary schools, Rivers  State Senior Secondary Schools Board and State Universal Basic Education Board at Government House, Port Harcourt.

He said: “From today henceforth, no child either in primary and secondary schools should pay fees and levies in any school across the state.

“The monies you collect from these children are just used for your personal purposes.  If I hear that any school head collects any fees or levies, be they examination, NECO or WAEC fees, that school head would be sanctioned.

“We shall not only dismiss the school head who collects fees or levies, we will prosecute  the person  involved. Government will work out grants that will be sent to the schools  for their regular management and operations.”

Wike directed the state Ministry of Education, Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board and the State Universal Basic Education Board to monitor all public schools  across the state to ensure compliance.