Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), Oyo State chapter, has discredited the call for the reintroduction of education levies in public schools in the state by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).

TUITION gathered that the immediate past Chairman of NUT in the state, Mr. Niyi Akano had called for the reintroduction of education levies in both public primary and secondary schools in the state.

But, SPN rejected the call by the former NUT Chairman.

SPN in a statement signed by its State Secretary, Comrade Ayodeji Adigun described the call as anti-people and insensitive.

Adigun in the statement on Friday said, “The attention of the Socialist Party of Nigeria, Oyo State Chapter, has been drawn to the call for the reintroduction of the payment of education levies across primary and secondary schools in the State. The call was credited to the immediate past chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Oyo State, Niyi Akano.

“SPN rejects this kind of call. It is anti-people and insensitive to the mass agony and misery under which millions of working people in the State groan at this present time. Again, it is quite unfortunate that such a call emanated from someone who ordinarily should have been at the forefront of advocacy for free and quality education in the State, being the immediate past chairman of NUT in the State.

“Other statements like “parents in the state should be ready to make sacrifices over their wards” which was credited to Mr Niyi Akano is a wrong indictment on a mass of the poor parents in the State. As far as we of the SPN are concerned, it is not out of place if parents rely on the Government to always pick the education obligation of their wards. After all, proper and adequate funding of free, quality education for all citizens regardless of religious affiliation and social status is a social responsibility of every purposeful government.

“Unfortunately, despite the huge noise the Engr Seyi Makinde-led government had made around the so-called cancellation of the education levy, which the regime often misnamed as “free education”. The practical realities across primary and secondary schools in the State are far from what can be described as free, quality education. Parents have continued to bear a huge cost of education for their wards. This is because the so-called cancellation of the education levy is without additional funds committed to ensuring proper and adequate funding of public education in the State.