Seyi Makinde

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Oyo State Government has imposed fees on the transfer of students from private to government owned schools, pointing out that the costs were meant to offset administration procedures.

According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, costs of forms for prospective students seeking transfer from private to public school would be determine from the part of the country such candidate was coming from.

According to the statement, forms for inter-state, from major cities across the country including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt is N15, 000, other states of the federation is N10,000, transfer within the state is N7,500.00 and transfer from outside Nigeria is N20,000.00.

The statement noted that the state government was pleased to discover that measures taken so far in the implementation of the free education policy have started yielding fruits, pointing out that the huge number of parents applying to register their wards in the state’s public primary and secondary schools is a clear evidence that the free education policy of the administration is well received by the people.

The statement said, “We are particularly pleased that a number of parents have been besieging the Oyo State Ministry of Education in the past few weeks to make inquiries on steps to be taken to transfer their wards from private schools to public schools. The huge turnout of parents and guardians seeking transfer for their wards to our public schools in view of the free education policy of Governor Makinde’s administration, has, therefore, necessitated the introduction of some administrative measures which are meant to control admission and safeguard illegality in the admission process”.

It stated further, “As we have started before now, the policy of the state government is to promote free education in line with its desire to uplift the standards and enhance excellence in educational pursuits. In line with the current administration’s four-point service agenda, Education, Health, Security and Economic expansion via agriculture value chain have been so designated as the major pillars. The administration hereby assures the people of its commitment to implement the agenda for the good of all in Oyo State. Let us also place on record that the decision to implement the charges listed above is not aimed at constraining the people, but to ensure standardization in the process of transferring pupils and students from private to public schools”.