FSTC Orozo: Parents complain about illegal school fees

Parents have alleged that some of the fees demanded by the Federal Science and Technical College Orozo, Abuja, from students were illegal and unnecessary.

Some of the parents said the school was imposing fees on the maintenance of school facilities including internet gadgets on the students. The students were also asked to bring bags of cements to school as punishment for lateness.

While arguing that it is not their responsibility to make provisions or maintain some facilities in the school, the parents said the fees asked for such services were duplicated.

A parent, who did not want his name in the print for fear of his ward being victimized, told Daily Trust that the charges were becoming unbearable and that some parents were likely to withdraw their wards from the school.

He said the fees were paid into a designated bank account in installments under various headings.

According to him, students were to pay the sum of N8, 000 as boarding fee and later pay N300 as house dues and N1, 000 for damages. They would also pay Caution fee of N500 well as another N1, 000 as security deposit. “All these are meant to serve same thing and then students are also asked to pay N1, 000 for websites maintenance, though it was N2, 000 initially,” he said.

He also alleged that the school deducts N100 from the students’ cashless voucher for every N1, 000.

Another parent said the PTA levy for old students “was N6, 000 while incoming students are to pay the sum of N65, 000 out of which about N45, 000 will be channeled into the school’s account to enable the principal complete a perimeter fence.”

He alleged that “there is connivance between the principal and the PTA over the charges.”

The parent said aside the fees, the students were also asked to provide items like bags of cement, tissues, and soaps amongst others.

He said “all these charges are frivolous; honestly we are not comfortable with them.”

The Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and the school authorities have not reportedly taken steps to rectify several of the complaints over high school charges brought to them.

However, Daily Trust obtained a copy of the students’ bill and a newsletter that contains the necessary requirements for each student and reached out to the principal who referred the reporter to the ministry of education.

The spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Olu Lipede, said that some of the accusations were lodged before the ministry and a meeting was held with the principals. He said the schools were stopped from requesting ‘ambitious fees.’

He said “principals have been told that beyond the standard charges, they should not ask students to pay any other charges.”

“No principal is to compel any child to bring any building materials or anything outside what is approved by the school. There is no sanction coming to any child whose parents does not bring any building materials; principals have been told and that is based on the reports we have and they are going to comply.”

Speaking on the students’ bill, he said “the first one is the standard thing, likewise the second just that there are variations according to the peculiar rating of the school. You can’t be going to an institution and there won’t be a security deposit or caution fees.”

On the PTA, he said that “if parents feel like the situation they see in schools is not satisfactory and want to improve on it; they can donate money voluntarily to assist the school.”

He explained that with the increase in population in schools, governments have not been able to meet up in terms of provision of facilities and if the parents agree to levy themselves, there isn’t problem.

“The PTA account is not run by the school principal, so for a thing like this, parents should sort it out themselves. It’s either they all agree to assist their children or disagree,” he said.