From Blessing Ibunge, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Ministry of Education has denied directing schools in the state to pay some tokens for online classes or mandating students to purchase DVD for online learning.
In a statement made available to newsmen Monday morning, the State Commissioner for Education, Prof Kaniye Ebeku, decribed the speculating imposition of levy on schools as rumour and targeted at misleading the general public.
He condemned the rumour that both the public and private schools should pay N50, 000 to register for the online classes and urged the public to discountenance what he further described as fake news.
According to Prof Ebeku: “The attention of the Rivers State Ministry of Education has been drawn to a fake news peddled on social media by mischief makers, that the Ministry has ordered public or private schools in the state to pay the sum of 50,000 Naira for online classes and also directed the purchase of DVDs by pupils and students at the cost of 1200 Naira.
“The Ministry states categorically that the said information is false and should be discountenance.
“The Rivers State Ministry of Education at no time issued any of such directive, formally or informally.
“The Ministry has no CD to sell, won’t sell any of such and has not authorised anyone to sell such to pupils and students”.
Prof Ebeku also disclosed that “Consultations with stakeholders are still ongoing on the issue of feasibility of online resumption for third term, and the Ministry has only advised schools to check the UBEC website and use free online platform for their teaching”.
He added “The general public is strongly advised to ignore the said directives, as they do not reflect the position of the Rivers State Ministry of Education.
“People should please cross-check information before publication. Rest assured that the Ministry of Education, as a responsible State agency, will not give insensitive or irresponsible directives”.
