Kwara Scraps Payment Of PTA Levy
Kwara Government has scrapped the Parents Teachers Association levy in public primary schools, approving annual school grants instead.
Chairman State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof. Shehu Adaramaja, announced this at the opening of the bid for the 2024 (3rd and 4th quarters) UBEC/SUBEB intervention projects.
PTA levy is a fee collected from parents in Nigerian schools to supplement school funding, with the collected funds used for projects, facilities, or activities not covered by the government’s allocation.
While the fee is often minimal compared with charges at private schools, it can impose financial burdens on average families.
In place of the PTA levy, Adaramaja said the state government will provide running costs for the 1,717 public schools.
”The Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has approved the stoppage of the payment of PTA in all public primary schools in the state, from primary 1 to 6, no more payment of PTA in Kwara State,” he said.
The SUBEB boss also announced the approval of the procurement of English and Maths textbooks by the governor for free to the pupils in primary schools in the state.
Speaking on the bid opening, the Chairman said the intervention would cover projects, including the construction of a block of two classrooms with an office and the construction of toilets.
”The intervention also covers the remodelling and renovation of classrooms, drilling of solar-powered boreholes with tank stands, and rehabilitation of digital literacy across the state.
”It also covers the procurement of foundation literacy teaching and learning materials for primary one, fabrication and distribution of 2-seater pupils/students’ furniture and safe schools initiative in some selected local governments, among others,” he said.
Adaramaja said that the governor had equally approved the payment of 2025 counterpart funds for the UBEC/SUBEB intervention projects.
He urged contractors, who would get the jobs, to execute them in line with the specifications, warning that shoddy jobs would not be condoned.
Adaramaja lauded the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Hajiya Aisha Garba and other key stakeholders for contributing to the success of the programme.
Responding on behalf of the bidders, Alhaji Maroof Ahmed, who is the Secretary to the Indigenous Contractors Association, thanked the government for allowing them to showcase their talents.
He pledged that their members would deliver quality services and would not let the government and the people of the state down.