A WELCOME DECISION: FG bans PTA levies in unity schools

The Federal Government has banned the collection of development levies by the Parent -Teacher Association in the Unity Colleges across the country .

The measure, according to the government, was to alleviate the sufferings of parents and the generality of students.

A statement issued on Tuesday night by the Deputy Director (Press and Public Relations ) in the Ministry of Education , Ben Bem Goong, said the ban was “ with immediate effect. ”

The government also said no PTA of any Unity College would be allowed to initiate any development project in any of the institutions without the express or written authorisation of the Federal Ministry of Education .

The statement quoted the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, as saying that the new measures were aimed at arresting the shocking trend where development levies imposed on parents by PTAs were becoming higher than the school fees charged by the government which established the schools.

Citing examples of PTA collections which had become higher than school fees charged by government , the minister gave the examples of Kings College, Lagos and the Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba in Lagos where the fees charged by the government for JSS 1 pupils in the first term was N69 , 400 .00, while the PTA collections stood at N 70, 000. 00 and N74 ,000 respectively per child .

Goong said , “ This brings the total amount paid by parents in these two schools to N 139, 400 and N143 ,400 respectively . With the reduction on development levies and ban on charges for new projects as well as the pegging of the development levy to a maximum of N 5,000 , parents of JSS 1 pupils in these two schools will now pay N 88, 000.

“ While acknowledging the complementary roles played by parents and the support provided by the PTA to the colleges , the education minister said he would not allow the PTAs to constitute themselves into a government within a government at the level of the Unity Schools and at the expense of parents. ”

Adamu said the government viewed with grave concern the activities of PTAs in Unity Colleges , which had even formed themselves into national associations , instead of limiting themselves to the schools attended by their children.

According to him , running additional organisations such as the National Parent and Teacher Association of Federal Government Colleges increases the burden on parents who hardly differentiate between government charges and PTA levies .

Adamu described the existence of an umbrella body over the PTA as “ unnecessary , exploitative and unacceptable . ”

Speaking on the realignment of charges payable to schools and PTAs which some media reports have tagged as “ increase in school fees ” the minister said there had been no increase in school fees .

Adamu said , “ The realigned fees now stand at N 83, 000 across all Unity Colleges in the country for new intakes , and a recommended maximum of N 5, 000 PTA levy, while old students will pay less .

“ This is intended to transfer payments from parents directly to the colleges rather than routing them through the PTA thereby reducing the increasing over- dependence on PTA and the attendant interference in the management of the colleges. The exorbitant PTA charges have made the quest to become PTA Chairmen a do - or-die affair in almost all Unity Colleges . ”

Adamu also explained that the ban on post- UTME , cancellation of second NECO test into Unity Colleges , reduction of PTA levies and the subsequent realignment of fees in Unity Colleges were all aimed at making education affordable as a weapon for breaking the cycle of poverty. ”