Thu Sep 12 00:58:27 UTC 2024: ## Rivers State urged to convene education summit amid rising school fees

**Port Harcourt, Nigeria -** Former APC chieftain and educationist Kingsley Wali has called for an urgent education summit in Rivers State to address the growing challenges faced by schools, particularly the increasing burden of school fees on parents.

Wali, who recently left the political scene, highlighted the economic hardship faced by many families, leading to a surge in demand for private schools, which he claims have become excessively expensive and lack adequate government supervision. He criticized the imposition of extra fees, such as development levies and ICT charges, which he considers unrelated to actual education and place undue financial pressure on parents.

“The reality is that a large proportion of Nigerian people, and Rivers people in particular, patronize private schools,” said Wali. “We need to investigate what’s happening in these schools. Are they truly delivering quality education or are they simply milking parents dry?”

Wali expressed concern that the increasing cost of education would lead to a rise in out-of-school children, further hindering the future of the state. He urged the government to intervene and standardize the operations of private schools, ensuring that fees are directly related to educational services and not used for personal gain.

“It’s not just about the basic school fees,” he emphasized. “Parents are burdened with extra fees for things like ICT, dancing, and so on, which are illegal and have no connection to the quality of education.”

Wali proposed an education summit that would involve all stakeholders, including parents, educators, and government officials, to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the challenges facing the education sector in Rivers State.

“We need to take action now,” he warned. “The education sector faces more challenges than the economy. We need to prevent more children from dropping out of school. Let’s convene an education summit and work together to create a brighter future for our children.”

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