A former member of a political party in Rivers State, Kingsley Wali, recently expressed the need for the state government to organize an education summit to address the challenges facing schools. Wali, who is also involved in education, highlighted the impact of economic difficulties and the increasing preference for private schools by parents.
He emphasized the importance of discussing issues such as the affordability of school fees, the quality of education in private schools, and the imposition of additional fees like development and ICT fees. Wali raised concerns about the financial burden placed on parents by private school owners and urged the government to intervene to ensure fairness in the education system.
As a leader of a social justice group, Wali stressed the necessity for government oversight of private schools to ensure they meet educational standards. He called for the standardization of private schools to prevent exploitation of parents and guardians. Wali also criticized the imposition of unnecessary fees on students and advocated for stopping practices like charging dancing fees or ICT fees that do not contribute to the quality of education.
Wali proposed the idea of an education summit, similar to economic summits, to address the pressing issues in the educational sector. He highlighted the urgency of the situation, especially considering the challenges faced by out-of-school children and the potential increase in the number of children unable to return to school due to financial constraints. Wali urged the Rivers State government to take the lead in organizing a comprehensive education summit involving all stakeholders in the community.