The Kaduna State Government says it will continue to implement the free primary and secondary education policy in the state.

This is just as the state government condemned the circular issued by the Ministry of Education to school principals on collection of nominal fees, saying it was not consistent with the government policy.

The state government, while describing the circular dated November 1, 2022, as invalid, ordered its withdrawal with immediate effect, adding all monies that may have been collected should be refunded.

The Kaduna State Executive Council gave the directive at a meeting chaired by the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday.

According to a statement made available to The Star on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, the state government described the provision of free education for the first 12 years of schooling as a legacy achievement of the government.

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The state government stated that free education was the pillar of its commitment to human capital development and social mobility for the children of the most vulnerable residents of the state.

The government added that in 2015, it banned payment of PTA fees and other levies in public schools to ensure that the free education policy actually delivers education without burdening parents with hidden fees or levies.

“Therefore, the Council observed that the circular issued by the Ministry of Education to school principals on collection of nominal fees is not consistent with government policy, and is thus invalid. The circular from the Ministry of Education to the heads of schools, dated 1st November 2022, is therefore rescinded with immediate effect, and all monies that may have been collected should be refunded forthwith.

“The State Executive Council has noted that community participation and ownership in the administration of public schools is what led to the creation by law, of School Management Boards and School-Based Management Committees with membership drawn from all concerned stakeholders.

“Accordingly and noting that some alumni associations, community groups, charities, and persons of means may be interested in further supporting particular schools, the Council directed the Ministry of Education to develop a suitable framework to guide school heads, parents, old students’ associations, communities and other donors that may want to contribute to the development of any public school in the state.

“This framework is necessary in the interest of accountability and transparency. Such a framework will be widely debated by stakeholders and approved by the State Executive Council before subsequent dissemination as an official directive to the Principals and Heads of Schools,” Adekeye noted.

The Star