Oyo and Osun State governments address allegations of illegal school levies

The Oyo State Government has denied claims that its free education policy has ended, following allegations that school principals are charging parents for student documentation and exam results. Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Special Adviser on Media to Governor Seyi Makinde, described these claims as a “deliberate distortion” of state policy. He emphasized that no public school is authorized to collect tuition or compulsory levies, warning that principals found violating this rule will face disciplinary action. The administration noted that since 2019, the policy has helped return approximately 75,000 out-of-school children to classrooms.

In a separate matter, investigations in Osun State have uncovered allegations of extortion by public secondary school principals. Despite a government-approved Education Trust Levy of only N500 per term, some schools are reportedly charging between N12,000 and N24,000 per student. Parents have also allegedly been forced to provide various supplies, such as cleaning materials and stationery, or purchase textbooks at specific prices within schools. The State Chairman of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) stated they were unaware of these developments, suggesting the charges might be unauthorized arrangements made by school principals.