Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has abolished the payment of fees and other levies in all government schools in the state.
Soludo said the abolition applies to pupils from nursery, primary and junior secondary schools.
He made the remark on Thursday, when he visited Premier Primary School, Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area and Ado Girls Secondary School in Onitsha.
The governor warned that no teacher must demand money in any guise from pupils in government schools, and that anyone caught doing so would be sanctioned.
Though Anambra has been maintaining tuition-free schools, there have been massive levies on parents.
While speaking, Governor Soludo said: “From today, as I make this pronouncement, no child in Anambra, from nursery to primary, up to junior secondary three, is expected to pay anything.
“The constitution of Nigeria requires the government in Nigeria to, as soon as it is practicable, offer free primary or secondary education.
“Among the four categories of schools in the state, government-run public schools are the least in terms of infrastructure and otherwise, but with this announcement, my administration will begin a massive revolution to bring out public education as a model in the education sector.
“The government will be investing and rebuilding infrastructure in the schools in the coming weeks and months. We will roll-out the full government agenda for the education sector in the coming days.
“This administration will begin to use education as an opportunity equaliser. Education is not just the future, but the present. The big agenda is to mainstream education as the foundation,” Soludo explained.
