The Nasarawa State Government on Monday warned principals of public secondary schools against extorting their students, stressing that education in the state is free.

Mr. Abubakar Agwai, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia.

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According to Agwai, the ministry had received reports that some principals were still collecting unauthorised fees from their students under the guise of Parents and Teachers’ Association levy.

“We are running a free education policy in the state from primary to secondary schools and nobody is expected to hide under any excuse and extort the unsuspecting students.

“The ministry is committed to ensuring the success of the free education policy and cannot fold its hands to allow some unpatriotic elements sabotage the government efforts,” the permanent secretary added.

He explained that the ministry was investigating some reported cases of extortion for appropriate sanctions.

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Agwai warned civil  servants in the habit of flouting government directives to stop or face severe sanctions.

The permanent secretary urged parents, guardians and students to report any principal or teacher that asked them for money.

Agwai assured that the ministry would institute a mechanism to facilitate total compliance of all stakeholders with the state government’s free education policy.

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