By Okey Alozie
More than Twenty (20) Principals of Secondary Schools in Imo State risk sack for allegedly extorting money from students in the ongoing Senior WAEC registration.
Report has it that some Principals in Imo State Secondary Schools have converted their schools to special centres for Special Candidates for Senior WAEC Exams.
Our roving reporter observed that these greedy Principals got illegal approval to extort money from the students registering for West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, otherwise known as Senior WASCE for 2024.
Information revealed that those who got illegal approval outside what was agreed by Stakeholders in Secondary Education in Imo State went on their own to collect over N80,000 for both WAEC and National Examination Certificate (NECO) registration fees.
The authorities as we gathered approved only N29,000 for NECO registration and N32,000 for WAEC registration in Imo but investigation revealed that over 7, 000 Principals who claimed to be connected to those in power resolved to force students to pay more than N80,000 for both Exams even when they are aware that it is not mandatory to register both NECO and WAEC at the same time.
Government source revealed that Governor Hope Uzodinma had earlier raised eyesbrow on this outrageous WAEC and NECO registration charged by Principals of Public Secondary Schools.
The Governor as we gathered directed those who collected more than what was approved by the authority to refund the money they collected from students without delay but uptil now the Principals did not consider it necessary to obey the Governor’s directive instead they still went ahead to force students to pay the illegal levies, like send off party N5,000, lesson money N3,000, Practical money N2000, Exam Assistance money N5000 and many other illegal charges which they made compulsory before they register them for 2024 Senior WAEC. This issue and threat have come to alarming rate and the effected students and their parents want Governor Hope Uzodinma to come to their rescue.
Against this backdrop Government of the State is said to have concluded plans to swing into action to ascertain the truth and fish out the culprits.
We were told that those found guilty of extorting money from students in the name of Exam registration must get sack letters.
It would be recalled that Imo State has suffered a lot of setback in Education Sector due to Exam malpractices going on in both high and low places.
WAEC is said to have de-recognised over 200 schools in Imo because of malpractices which was discovered at the marking stages.
The de-recognised schools were asked to pay N150,000 yearly as fine. Corrupt practices in secondary schools as we gathered has made many school Principals very rich since nobody is supervising and querying them in such acts.
Imolites are now calling on Governor Hope Uzodinma to open his eyes and put a stop to these corrupt practices going on in the Education System.
Good number of students from Imo State as we were told have resolved to go to other States to register for WAEC because of extortion by Imo Secondary School Principals.
