Headmistress of viral Warri school girl suspended for collecting ‘Illegal Examination Fees’

Mrs. Vero Igbigwe was headmistress of Okotie-Eboh Primary School was suspended following the viral video where little Success Adegor was sent home over her parents’ failure to pay her examination levies.

Igbigwe was suspended on Monday when the Commissioner for Education, Barr. Chiedu Ebie, visited the school.

The head teacher, according to the commissioner, could not explain the alleged illegal collection of examination levies from the school students.

A statement by the commissioner explained why primary and secondary education in Delta remained free, insisting the head teacher had no right to impose any levy.

He said: “In my brief encounter with the Head Teacher this morning, there appeared to be numerous inconsistencies in her response on this issue as she was unable to categorically state who authorized her to impose the levies or fees which is in clear breach of the extant rules.

“Consequently I have directed the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to suspend the Head Teacher pending the outcome of a formal enquiry into the issue of unauthorised levies/ and fees imposed by her in the School.”

On concerns over infrastructural decay in the school, Ebie said:

“Having discovered the dilapidated state of the infrastructure in the Schools, steps were immediately taken by the State Government, through the Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education, to carry out a phased renovation and upgrade of the infrastructural facilities beginning with Okotie Eboh Primary School II.

“It is important to place on record and for the avoidance of doubt that the Contract of the first phase was awarded on the 29th of December, 2018 and work has since commenced.”