Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has stopped all forms of payments in public primary and secondary schools, including PTA levies, to ease the financial burden on parents and guardians.
In his New Year address, Governor Otti emphasized the government’s commitment to securing the future of children in the state.
“We have stopped all forms of payments in primary and secondary schools. Not even PTA levies should be charged to any parent or guardian in any public school in the state,” he said.
To ensure the smooth running of schools, the governor announced the introduction of an imprest account system. This system will provide headteachers and school principals with monthly funds for managing daily school operations.
“There is no excuse to extort or deny any child the opportunities that come with learning and enlightenment. We shall strictly enforce this policy, and it will be a grievous mistake to test our will,” Otti warned.
Otti highlighted that 35% of the state’s budget for 2025 would go to education and health. “We shall fast-track efforts to remake our schools into centres of excellence in effective teaching and learning,” he said.
The governor also reminded residents that the law mandating all school-age children to be in school during school hours takes effect immediately. “As soon as the new school term begins later in the month, it will be unlawful to find any child outside the walls of the classroom during school hours,” he said.
Otti outlined his administration’s broader plans, including prioritizing the needs of the less privileged, enhancing public safety, and improving the state’s economy.
“We shall not hesitate to deploy the full might of the government against any individual or group whose activities pose a threat to the safety of our people,” he warned.
The governor also spoke about efforts to make Abia investor-friendly by improving infrastructure, boosting agriculture, and enhancing ease-of-doing-business protocols.
“We are practically in a hurry to rebuild our state and realign governance priorities to reflect the true aspirations of the people,” Otti concluded.
