Cross River State Government has sacked 12 secondary school principals and suspend six others over illegal collection of money from students.
The state Commissioner for Education, Godwin Amanke, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Calabar, the state capital,on Tuesday.
He also informed that 16 secondary school teachers and principals were accordingly transferred to rural areas as a punitive measure for imposing dubious charges on students.
“Tuition fee in the state is free but some Cross River teachers and principals connived alarmingly to inflate other charges, which is not acceptable at all.
“We have suspended six principals so far over the unusual and inflated charges on students.
“We have given several queries to others involved in illegal charges and dealings, including bribing and acceptance of bribes to be posted to township schools,” he said.
While the names of the culprits were not made public, Amanke further disclosed that “these principals collect a hefty sum of N40,000 from each student as against N1,200.
They collected fees for three terms upfront, claiming that many students do abandon their schools after taking WAEC exams.
“We are monitoring defaulting teachers and principals, and won’t hesitate to wield the big stick.”
Cultism, he stressed, remains a menace in schools in the state, and advised against this nefarious activity and other indecent acts.
Parents and guardians were further advised to do their bit and not leave the task of curbing cultism to the government alone.
