Exclusive interview with Kwara state honourable commissioner for education Hajia Balikis Oniyangi
The Honourable Commissioner for Education in person of Hajia Bilikis Oniyangi in an interactive session on an online medium *“The Informant247”* was on 3rd of November, 2018 requested to make some clarifications as regards the issues of extortion/overpayment of tuition fees in state owned primary and secondary schools across the state.
The Commissioner was engaged in an interactive session by concerned members of the online medium, majority of whom are concerned Youths.
When asked whether or not tuition fees are being paid in state owned schools across the state, she responded thus: “Oga i am saying no tuition fees in public primary and secondary schools in Kwara”.
When asked about the five thousand naira being paid by pupils in state owned schools, she responded: “Oga no tuition fees, Kawai except u are just in denial”.
She then challenged the aggrieved members to come up with an evidence to fault her claims, majority of the group members insisted that receipts are not being issued to students, while the students are quoted as saying that their principals reported that “there is an order from above that they shouldn’t issue receipts to the effect of any payments”. Responding to the point raised earlier about the standing order to the school principals and/or HMs, she challenged the aggrieved members to name any school where such is being done.
She was challenged to investigate the matter, she later confirmed that she has done some background research as to that effect and discovered that that truly, some principals/HMs are extorting their students.
When asked what she doing to deal with the people involved in the extortion, she said: “We are looking into it, and they shall be dealt with according to the civil service rule”.
A group member however noted that “Since the commissioner and her fellow political office holders don’t have their wards in public schools, they wouldn’t know the plight of parents whose wards are in the public schools. He also noted that majority of the political office holders after retirement establishes their own private school thereby leaving the public schools in a despicable state”.
While reacting to this, she said; “My children are out of secondary school before I assumed office as the Commissioner for Education”.
When teased about her findings on the extortion and the possibility of the affected Principals/HMs having a “longer leg” than she does, she reiterated her stand that there is no one with a longer leg than hers, and that the exploiters shall be dealt with accordingly.
A member of the online medium then reminded her about her claims that some people under her in the education sector are more powerful than she is, he said she stated that in a speech delivered by her at Ilorin South Local Government Area, Ipata along Amilegbe around July this year at Hon. Wahabi Issa summer lesson ceremony, where she was quoted as saying: “The government only approved 2000 naira plus, anything beyond that should be reported”.
In reference to her statement that the official fees is only 2000 naira plus, she was asked about the issue of the approved fees whether or not there is one. She replied the member by saying: “I am now sure that you were not there with this post of yours. I am certain you are posting hearsay”. When asked what she would like to be remembered for after leaving office, she responded: “To achieve at least 65% of the cognative aspect of our educational system”.
When asked about her educational background right from Primary School, up to the University, she stated her educational background as; Army wives’ association (AWA Nursery) School, Command children School, Command secondary school, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (Accounting), University of Maiduguri (M.Sc. Finance), Wales University (MBA), Nassarawa State University Keffi (P. hD in view), hence evading the question on her NYSC status.
It was noted that she schooled in Kaduna State up to her first degree.