Our Reporter

Private schools proprietors in Kano State have faulted the government’s directive to reduce school fees by 25 per cent for the third term of 2020/2021 academic session.

The state Joint Committee of Private and Voluntary Schools Associations stated this through the Chairman, Association of Model Islamic Schools (AMIS), Basheer Adamu, and the Chairman, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Muhammad Adamu, in Kano yesterday.

The government had in October directed private schools proprietors to slash 25 per cent of the school fees for the third term to cushion the effect of COVID-19 on parents in the state.

But, the committee said that the proprietors would not reduce the fees as they did not receive financial support from either the state or Federal Government during COVID-19 lockdown.

Read Also: Kano directs private schools to reduce fees by 25%

However, the state government said that there was no going back on the directive.

Commissioner for Education Sanusi Kiru made this known while fielding reporters’ questions in Kano.

“The state government’s decision to reduce 25 per cent of the fees is to lessen the economic hardship being faced by parents due to COVID-19 pandemic.”

He said that the government has the power to enforce the directive on the private school owners, but chose to negotiate with them on the matter.

“Although over 80 per cent of the private schools’ proprietors have complied, I want to inform you that we have 99 actions that can be taken against recalcitrant proprietors, who refuse to obey the directive.

“We have set up an endorsement committee to go round private schools to ensure compliance. We want to be fair to all, but some are trying to be stubborn.

“When you investigate, you will find out that even the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has cancelled the third term session. We also have the right to do the same.”