By Ovedhe Jerry.
Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON), Delta State chapter has called on parents, guardians, traditional rulers, community leaders, politicians and civil servants to help them in funding private schools across the state through payment of school fees and levies.
APSON made this call through its State Chairman, Comr Vayero Isaac Ejogbamu during its 83rd State General Meeting held recently at Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area.
Comr Ejomgbamu stressed that, education is not basically a money making venture but a social service that is capital intensive and a long time recovering process, noting that the present economic downturn has taken its toll on private school owners to the extent that many now owe staff salaries of two or more months.
According to him: “Some of the reasons for this poor state of affairs are traceable to the increasing unemployment in manufacturing industries, oil and gas as well as our importation culture and government policies.
“Most public schools have been renovated, refurbished to model schools which have attracted students from private schools. Also no tuition fees are charged in public schools, this has made things very difficult with dwindling enrollment in private schools where fees are charged.
“It is most unfortunate that at this difficult period, government has out of desperation increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), worsened the situation of private by increasing renewal fees by over 500%. Whereas private schools are partners in progress with government in the task of providing qualitative and alternative education to the citizens thereby saving government from the cost of building more schools and employing more staffs.
“But in all these, the government has failed to encourage private schools. We need the co-operation and support of government, community leaders, traditional rulers, parents, guardians, law makers in the state house of assembly others to help reverse this astronomical increment of renewal charges on private schools to help us operate and function well”. Comr Isaac Ejogbamu said.
