…say ‘we pay N1bn yearly for our children’s safety’
Parents have kicked against the N3billion earmarked for revamping security in the 104 Unity Colleges in Nigeria in the proposed 2019 budget, saying that they already pay about N1billion, yearly, for the same purpose.
They have also called for an audit into how the annual budgets are being spent if the Federal Government claims it has been allocating billions of naira for security over the years.
These things build up the bills. The schools have a progression of about 3, 000 students. Calculate N1, 000, each, per student for every term. That is N3m. And the government allocates N3bn for a whole year and we still do not see it. The money is not utilised for the purpose
The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, had disclosed at the end of 2018 that over N7 billion was spent by the Federal Government on the provision of security for Unity schools between 2017 and 2018.
The breakdown of the Executive Budget for 2019 was obtained by our correspondent from the online platform of the Budget Office.
Another N500bn was proposed for the FGN Special Intervention Programme, Social Housing, Home Grown School Feeding Programme, Government Economic Empowerment Programme, N-Power Job Creation Programme, Conditional Cash Transfers, etc.
Parents and guardians queried the application of the previous budgets for security in the colleges, saying there was no basis for the extra charges being paid by them on the same subject.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that apart from the Parents Teachers Association dues paid by parents, per term, they still pay for security.
According to sources from different unity schools, parents pay between N1, 000 and N1, 200 for their wards’ security, per term.
Further investigations revealed that the average number of students per unity school is about 3,000.
This means that, at N1, 000 per child for security, a unity school claims N3,000,000 per term from parents, making N9,000,000 per session.
Multiplying this by 104 Unity Schools in Nigeria, gives N936,000,000, about N1billion, if one takes into consideration the fact that some of the schools have higher number of students and may pay higher fees.
The education minister had explained that the amount earmarked was to beef up security, through the provision of security infrastructure, for the 104 Unity schools in the country.
Adamu explained that the sum of N5 billion was provided for provision of perimeter fencing in schools that had none, CCTV cameras, solar powered street lights as well as modern security gates, among others.
A total of 65 Unity schools are expected to be fortified with security apparatuses.
Adamu said that, in the 2018 budget, the Federal Government released a total of N2, 025, 811, 972.99, for provision of facilities in 39 schools.
The minister, who gave a list of schools that would benefit from the intervention in the new year, explained that the briefing was part of efforts by Government to be accountable to Nigerians, adding that it would keep the people abreast of what the current administration was doing to improve infrastructure in Unity schools.
However, stakeholders who spoke to our correspondent, in separate interviews, have criticised what they claimed could mean misappropriation of funds in the country’s Unity schools.
Although they applauded the Federal Government for allotting funds for security in Unity schools, they, however, noted that the condition of the schools would have been better if the budgeted funds were judiciously applied.
They called on the Federal Government to address the security issues, considering the high fees being paid by parents on their children and wards.
Commenting on the issue, the President, Unity Schools Old Students Association, Kaduna chapter, Mr. Aminu Aliyu, said that most of the security needs in Unity Schools in the North were addressed by the old Students Association, indicating that the money allocated for security could have been misappropriated.
He said, “Firstly, will the N3bn replace the N5, 000 insurance fee? Although they are two different things, but I asked as a qualified person from the school, one I am an old student, I was also part of the Parents Teachers Association and I have children in the school.
“To be frank, who takes the money for security, if we are still contributing for security as parents? The insurance scheme, who takes the money? When I was coming into the school in 1981, I paid N240, but now, for a child to go to the school, for instance, at the Federal Government College, Kaduna, you will spend nothing less than N150, 000 for one term, not for the whole year. “
Aliyu lamented that the extra charges parents paid were more than the tuition fee of a university student.
He said, “What makes the fee up to that amount? It is because of the extra charges. Queens College pays about N30, 000 for Parents Teachers Association per child. We are paying so much for a federal school; it is even more expensive than the university.
“If Government has allocated as much as N3bn for security, it means it is possible that the money is being embezzled. Government should audit the money, how it is being spent, so we can see it. Let’s see because we pay a lot.”
He added, “I have just paid N30, 000 for the second term; I will still pay N2, 500 PTA levy; N500 for house dues; and another N1, 000 per child for security. These things build up the bills. The schools have a progression of about 3, 000 students. Calculate N1, 000, each, per student for every term. That is N3m. And the government allocates N3bn for a whole year and we still do not see it. The money is not utilised for the purpose.”
According to him, the amount allocated to security for the 104 Unity schools is too small, compared to what old students have done for the colleges.
A member of the Parents Teachers Association, Queens College, Mrs. Faith Oregbeme, said it would be better if the parents were not made to pay extra charges for security or if the fee was reduced since the Federal Government had already allocated money for security.
She said, “We have been paying for security for students. We do not have a breakdown of how much we pay for security in particular, but we know it is being put together and we pay every term.
“Security is very wide; we do not know that which the Government is paying for. At the College level, we take care of security. Well, it will be good if the fees are further reduced. If Government is involved, we need to see what they are using the allocated funds for. If they want to pay for security, let the school hands off security. The safety of our children is very important; we can never pay too much. If it is N1, 200 from my side for my child, I will ensure that my child
pays.”
However, the National Chairman, Kings College, Mr. Yinka Oduntan, said he was not aware of any security allocation to Unity schools.
“I am not aware of any allocation to security infrastructure by the Federal Government so I cannot say if they are really using it for us or not. I have not seen the breakdown for the proposed 2019 Budget,” he stated.
Another parent from the Federal Government College, Ibadan, who pleaded anonymity, said parents “virtually pay for everything the school does. I pay for hostel building, PTA, security and many
more.”
Mr. Wale Otunba, a parent from Federal Government College, Idoani, Ondo State, also lamented the rate at which they were charged extra fees compared to his time.
