KDSG reaffirms commitment to 12 years of free primary, secondary and technical/vocational education
AREWA AGENDA – The Kaduna State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing every child resident in the state free primary, secondary and technical/vocational education.
This was made known to the public by the Special Adviser to the Kaduna State Governor on Media & Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye on Tuesday
He said an extraordinary meeting of the Kaduna State Executive Council was held on Monday, 7th November 2022 and described the provision of free education for the first 12 years of schooling as a legacy achievement of the State Government.
Muyiwa revealed that the Council meeting was chaired by Malam Nasir El-Rufai who stated that free education is the pillar of the Kaduna State Government’s commitment to human capital development and social mobility for the children of the most vulnerable residents of the state.
With careful implementation since 2015, this policy guarantees every child access to education from the first year of primary school to the completion of the final year of senior secondary school or technical/vocational school.
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Muyiwa further said “Free education, up to the completion of senior secondary school, reflects the government’s abiding belief in promoting equality of opportunity and expanding access to education as a lever of social mobility.”
On sustainability of the policy he said “the extraordinary meeting of the Kaduna State Executive Council discussed a memo from the Ministry of Education on sustainable funding for the maintenance of school facilities.”
The Council recalled that in 2015 the government explicitly banned payment of PTA fees and other levies in public schools in order 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The Council rescinded with immediate effect, the circular from the Ministry of Education to the heads of schools, dated 1st November 2022 and all monies that may have been collected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.
The Council later 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.
