Private school owners concede to 25% fees reduction in Kano

Members of the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON), on  Sunday, agreed to reduce schools fees charges by 25 percent as directed by Kano State Ministry of Education.

The association announced their decision when they paid a solidarity visit to the Commissioner of Education Malam Muhammad Sanusi Sa’id Kiru in his office.

This was contained in a statement issued by the ministry public relations officer, Aliyu Yusuf on Sunday.

The statement said the National Deputy President of  APSON, Hajiya Maryam Magaji said that their association has decided to comply with the government directives for the reduction of the school fees with a view to cushioning the effects of the economic hardship suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic by parents in Kano State.

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‘’She explained further that the directives given to the proprietors for the reduction of the school fees was not intended by  Government to hurt anybody, rather, it was done in the best interest of the educational development of the state,’’ said the statement.

‘’The National Officer said that though the association does not have jurisdiction  to force other three sister associations to follow suit, promised to mobilize all its members to oblige to the directives.’’

‘ We cannot force the 3 sister associations to do the same as we do, but we are pledging our loyalty to the government and we would mobilize our members to comply”,  She maintained.

“We are not going to media to destroy the good efforts of the ministry and we would not challenge the government decision in court,” Hajiya Maryam stressed in the statement.

According to the statement, the Chairperson of the Kano state chapter of the association, Mrs Bimbo Awotunde disclosed that they were at the ministry to solidly support the government’s decision for the reduction of 25 percent school fees to their students, expressing gratitude to the ministry for maintaining a good working relationship and kind support to the private schools operating in the state.

It said the Commissioner of Education, Malam Muhammad Sanusi Sa’id Kiru expressed his heartfelt appreciation and that of the state government over the decision taken by APSON to comply with the government’s directives.

‘’The Commissioner explained that  government has every right to make policy but not to hurt anybody, therefore the issue of school fees reduction was in the best interest of both parties.’’

‘’He, therefore, urged school Proprietors to consider the reduction of the school fees as part of their Corporate Social Responsibilities, saying that government is very much aware of the economic hardships suffered by both the school owners and the parents as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.