School resumption: Parents tackle Navy Secondary Schools management over tuition fees

The Parents Teachers  Association of  Nigerian Navy Secondary Schools (NNSS) across the country have kicked against the decision of Directorate of Naval Education (DNE) directing schools to resume for third term and payment of tuition fees.

Penpushing reports that, the parents expressed their grievances in the  WhatsApp platforms, and  condemned  directive that full payment of tuition fees must be made before resumption, arguing that  many state governments have directed that all students should be promoted to the next class using performances of both first and second terms that were concluded before  schools closed as a result of coronavirus pandemic .

The authorities of the schools in a circular sent to the parents on Wednesday 9th of September and signed by the commandants of the various schools, had asked that all students presently in JS2 & SS2 to resume on Sunday 13th while those in JS1 and  SS1 are to resume on Sunday October 18th with full payments.

Penpushing reports that, the parents wondered if the schools will operate in isolation from their various states of location and demanded for how long the students will stay in school before writing promotion examination that the authorities are demanding for full payments of school fees.

“We would like to know the calendar and duration of third term as well as when the promotion examination will be coming up before asking us to make full payment of school fees” one angry parent demanded.’’, the body said

“I think the idea is that the schools want to collect third term school fees for one month and then ask for first term school fees subsequently which is totally wrong and unacceptable. Not even in the face of the current economic hardships and when  many parents have lost their jobs because of the pandemic and now you want the same parents to pay almost N200,00 in a spate of three months, this is extortion” .a parent noted

Penpushing also reports that, the parents cited the cases of Ogun and Oyo States that have directed automatic promotions to the next classes and wondered if federal and state schools are running different academic calendars.

“You can’t be asking us to prepare the children in four days, it’s not right. We need time to prepare. At least a week notice won’t be a bad idea, even state governments gave about three weeks notice, why does NNSS treat us as if we are not stakeholders”

Penpushing further reports that, a  zoom meeting between the Chairmen of all the Nigerian Navy Secondary School Parents Teachers Association and Directorate of Naval Education, did not yield any positive results as the Directorate directed the Chairmen to discuss with the Commandant of their various schools  who in turn maintained that they were acting on directives but added that the resumption of JSS2 and  SS 2 on Sunday, 13th of August, 2020 might not be unconnected to the need for these two arms to prepare for and write  JOPREX, a mandatory promotional Examination for all Navy Schools.

The parents sought for intervention of the authorities pointing out that a situation where all other secondary schools across the country will be starting the first term of a new academic session and only Nigerian Navy Secondary Schools (NNSS)  will be going for third term of an old session for just one month.