Rights Lawyer Petitions Oborevwori Over Alleged Multiple Levies In Delta Public Schools

By Joseph Bienbo, Warri

A human-rights advocate and lawyer, Omiroro Ogedegbe, Esq., has called on the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to halt what he described as the multiplication of levies and unnecessary financial demands in public secondary schools in the state.

In an open letter addressed to the Governor and copied to the Commissioner for Secondary Education, Ogedegbe raised alarm over alleged charges at Alegbo Secondary School, where he said parents are being asked to pay almost N40,000 per student.

He listed the reported demands to include: “desk – ₦10,000, Big Mama Lemon, liquid soap – ₦3,000, Packer – ₦1,500, Broom – ₦1,000, two big notebooks – ₦2,000, 80-leaf exercise books, tie and badge – ₦2,000, Other stated payments, including ₦8,000 and ₦500 government-related payments.”

According to him, the issue is not the individual items but the cumulative burden on parents.

“The concern is not simply the individual cost of a broom, notebook, soap or desk. The concern is the cumulative financial burden being placed on parents whose children attend public schools,” he said.

Ogedegbe warned that parents with two or three children could face serious financial strain, lamenting, “YOUR EXCELLENCY, WHERE IS THE CHILD OF THE POOR TO GO?”

He called for transparency and accountability in the school system, asking the government to clarify approved fees.

“Parents deserve to know: Which payments are officially approved by the Delta State Government; Which payments are approved by the Ministry of Secondary Education; The authority under which each payment is being demanded; Into whose account the money is being paid; Whether official receipts are issued,” he stated.

The advocate cautioned that excessive levies could force children out of school.

“Children may be discouraged from attending school simply because their parents cannot meet accumulated financial demands,” he said, adding that “Education and healthcare should remain among the foremost responsibilities of the government.”

He therefore urged Governor Oborevwori to direct the Commissioner for Secondary Education to take immediate action.

“We respectfully call upon Your Excellency to direct the Honourable Commissioner for Secondary Education to immediately investigate the reported demands at Alegbo Secondary School,” he said.

Other demands include publishing approved fees for all public schools, stopping unauthorized charges, creating a reporting mechanism for parents, and ensuring no child is denied access to classes or examinations for inability to pay.

“The objective is not to embarrass any particular school authority. The objective is to ensure that public education remains accessible, and genuinely affordable to the ordinary Deltan,” Ogedegbe stated.

He concluded with a call for government funding of public education, saying, “Let the government fund public education. Let parents support where reasonably necessary. But let there be an end to unnecessary financial burdens that can drive children away from school.”