Commissioner Tasks NAPPS ,Delta State To See Education Ministry As Partner
Members of National Association Of Proprietors Of Private Schools (NAPPS),
Delta State chapter, yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the main entrance of Government House , Anwai road ,Asaba, to press home their demand for cancellation of annual renewal levy for private schools in the state.
While addressing the members who were invited to a round table discussion at the conference Hall of the Professor Chike Edozien Secretariat in Asaba , the State Commissioner for Primary Education,Chief Sunday Onoriode on behalf of the state government, reminded the members of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) that they were critical partners in the educational development of the state.
The Commissioner , during the crucial meeting with the association told the members that the issues bothering on renewal fee could better be resolved through dialogue and not by court actions or protests.
Chief Onoriode argued that the only area in their itemised allegations that concerned the Ministry was that of renewal of licence fee by the private school owners, adding that Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education had nothing to do with the multiple taxation.
The Educationl boss noted that renewal fee was one of the conditions that ought to have been met before any private school was allowed to register its pupils and students in Cognitive/Placement as well as other external examinations in the state.
The Primary Education Commissioner, who stated that the State Government had the interest of the children at heart and would not be happy that children in the affected private schools were denied to write such Important examination, disclosed that the Ministry would look critically into the demands of NAPPS, even as he called on them to consider withdrawing the case in court.
Also speaking, the Commissioner forBasic & Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu noted that NAPPS as a frontline association did not explore all available means to discuss with stakeholders in the Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education before embarking on legal action and protest.
Mrs. Ezewu, however promised to always embark on activities that she will positively be remembered for in the state.
In his remark, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Augustine Oghoro advised NAPPS members to either withdraw the case in court in order to give room for the resolution of the issue or maintain status-quo, pending the outcome of the judgment.
Earlier, the President of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) , South South, Dr. Ochuko Akpeme lauded the Education Commissioners for their efforts in taking the system in the state to enviable height.
Dr. Akpeme who noted that the association decided to go to court to challenge the issue of renewal fee, stated that all efforts for the State Government to abolish the renewal fee had not yielded positive result.
He stressed that private schools in Delta have been grappling with issue of multiple taxation by different agencies within the state.
While appealing to the State Government to allow them carry out the registration of their students /pupils without using their prayer in court as a condition to deny them such registration,
he added that the association was ready to open its doors for negotiation.
He however dropped the hint that the association was not against Alternative Dispute Resolusion (ADR).
Dr. Akpeme then appealed to the state government to extend the deadline for registration so that the children would not be deprived of enrollment.
In his closing remark the State Vice Chairman of NAPPS, Comrade Austine Onodarho who absolved the Education Ministry blamed the state government for the not too pleasing taxation.
Ignoring their letters and the court notices by embarking on denying children from registering was another area of concern,Onodarho emphasised.
It is however noteworthy that the primary education commissioner promised to get back to the association by Thursday with a parliative measure that would be mutually beneficial to both parties.
