OSOGBO, Nigeria — An investigation into public secondary education in Osun State has uncovered a systemic scheme of illegal fee collections, exposing how school administrators routinely extort parents under various unauthorized payment headings.

Despite official guidelines from the Osun State Ministry of Education capping compulsory per-term payments at the government-approved N500 Education Trust Levy (ETL), findings reveal that principals across multiple local government areas demand payments ranging from N3,000 to as high as N24,000 per student.

Key Findings & Breakdown of Illegal Charges

  • Massive Fee Inflation: School heads are systematically ignoring official policy directives by inflating term fees well beyond the N500 threshold. Total charges vary depending on the student's class level, with senior secondary students bearing the highest burden.
  • Fabricated Fee Headings: School administrators issue informal fee breakdowns that include unapproved items such as administrative charges, maintenance fees, sports dues, mandatory extra lessons, and examination paper fees.
  • Financial Strain on Low-Income Families: Affected parents, many of whom rely on public schools due to economic hardship, report being forced into debt or having their children turned away at school gates for failing to meet the unauthorized financial demands.
  • Lack of Receipts: Investigations show that many of these illegal collections are handled in cash or transferred directly into non-governmental accounts without official state government receipts issued to parents.

Breakdown of Reported Charges vs. Official Policy

Payment DescriptionOfficial Approved RateRates Charged by PrincipalsEducation Trust Levy (ETL)N500 per termIncluded in total billMaintenance & Exam FeesN0.00 (Govt Covered)N3,000 – N5,000Mandatory Lesson FeesOptional / N0.00N1,000 – N3,000PTA & Administrative DuesRegulatedN5,000 – N15,000+Total Per TermN500N3,000 – N24,000

Stakeholder Responses & Advocacy

Reactions to the findings have drawn sharp criticism from civil society organizations and child rights advocates. Speaking on the development, Child Rights Ambassador Mrs. Wey confirmed taking up the matter to address the exploitation.

"Efforts will not be spared to correct this menace. We are initiating statewide advocacy and public enlightenment programs to inform parents of their actual rights under the law and ensure that school administrators adhering to these illegal practices are brought to account."
— Mrs. Wey, Child Rights Ambassador

Educational advocates have called on the Osun State Ministry of Education and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to set up immediate monitoring task forces to audit secondary school accounts, penalize non-compliant principals, and establish clear reporting channels for affected parents.