The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has suspended four school principals across the state for their disobedience to the “free education policy” of the state government.
This was disclosed in a press statement issued by the Public Relations Officer in the state Ministry of Education, Nnaemeka Egwuonwu, on Tuesday.
Egwuonwu said the sanction was announced by the Commissioner for Education Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh.
The statement read, “Soludo has stepped down four schools’ Principals for non-compliance to the solution-free education policy of Anambra State Government.
“The Principals of Washington Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha, Nkem Nkechi; Kenneth Dike Secondary School, Awka, Onwurah Catherine; New Era Secondary School, Onitsha, Dr Cordelia Okonkwo; and Prince Memorial High School, Onitsha, Amaka Ubaka, were alleged to have acted in contravention of the solution policy on free education in the state.
“The stepping down of the principals was announced by the Commissioner for Education Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh.
“The Commissioner stated that a committee has been constituted to investigate the activities of the affected principals. She further stated that if found culpable, the Principals would be made to refund the amount collected.
“It is surprising that after a series of announcements on the Solution free education policy by Mr Governor, the Principals could still be alleged to have flouted the policy.”
Soludo, during his visits to Premier Primary School Odume Obosi and Ado Girls Secondary School Onitsha, announced that in line with the solution-free education policy, no child from early childhood education and development up to Junior Secondary School is required to pay any fee whatsoever.
While no student in the Senior Secondary should pay anything more than N5,000, the policy was further amplified by the governor in a meeting he had with Principals and Headteachers at the International Conference Centre, Awka, on Saturday.
Punch