… Refunds N1.4m to parents
By: Felix Ikpotor
The Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board (RSSSSB) has suspended the principal of Government Community Secondary School Abalama in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state (names withheld) indefinitely for allegedly collecting illegal fees from students of the school amounting to around six hundred and ten thousand naira.
This is even as the board said it has refunded about one hundred and four million naira illegally collected fees to parents.
Chairman of the board, Chief David Briggs who disclosed this to journalists recently in Port Harcourt, said his suspension will remain until he refunds the money.
“His salaries and payments has been stopped until he refunds to Parents Teachers Association, PTA, of the school through the board about six hundred and ten thousand naira he just collected this term alone”.
He added that, “ We are investigating other issues relating to this matters”.
The chairman further revealed that the board has refunded one million four hundred thousand naira collected by teachers who were involved in various irregularities and advised parents to demand receipt from principals for any payments made.
“Recently the RSSSSB has refunded to the Rivers State covers the sum of N1.4M which are monies recovered from teachers who for various reasons have absconded or were not reporting for duties but collecting salaries,” he said.
Similarly, the RSSSB boss said the registration for the West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, in all public schools in the state have not started, stressing that once the registration commences, the board would make the information known to parents.
Her however, urged any parent who have made any payment to any principal regarding the examination to report the board, warning that no principal is authorized to receive any money with connection to WASSCE for now.
