The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has condemned the intent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led administration in commercialising basic education, which it described as a “disservice to the memory of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo”.
The party condemned a circular by the government that primary school pupils should pay N550 examination fee while junior secondary and senior secondary school pupils are to pay N1,000 each.
In a statement yesterday by the Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the APC described the latest government decision as “another rape of the constitution, which guarantees free universal basic education from primary school to junior secondary school”.
The opposition party wondered what informed the “insensitive policy”, saying by the decision, Fayose had marked himself out as the last bastion of conservative partisans insensitive to the universal quest to basic education.
It regretted that “the governor had reduced all government engagements and governance itself as a concept that must be denominated in naira and kobo”.
The APC said: ‘This is another hardship foisted on parents who are impoverished by the poverty-friendly administration of Fayose.
“Governor Fayose’s lame excuse during his recent media chat that pupils of free education are not always brilliant is ignorance taken too far.
“It reveals the lack of understanding and deep-seated contempt the governor has for education.
“Many successful professionals in the Southwest today are products of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s free education policy of the then Western Region. Therefore, we are at a loss how Fayose arrived at his conclusion.’
“We urge the governor to stop promoting policies that have the potential to breed more thugs and criminals that are his favourites for political advantage, saying free education is not responsible for the falling standard of education in Ekiti State.
“The problem in the education sector is brought about by the lack of will as being demonstrated by Fayose, with a long period of systemic rot, especially in motivation of teachers and lack of in”The Kayode Fayemi administration tried to bring back the lost glory of education by encouraging teachers through training and incentives by paying rural posting and core subjects allowance, Christmas bonus and regular payment of salaries and allowances.”