The Ondo State Government has banned cash payments in all public schools across the state as part of efforts to eliminate extortion, illegal levies and unauthorised collections imposed on pupils and students.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, announced the policy during a meeting with the executives of the Association of Bursars of Secondary Schools at his office in Akure.
Ajibefun condemned the illegal collection of fees by some school authorities and disclosed that the government has introduced a digital payment gateway that will henceforth serve as the only channel for financial transactions in public schools.
“To this end, we have put heads together to come up with a payment gateway and from now on, every payment will have to pass through the gateway, and we have placed a ban on cash payments,” he said.
According to the commissioner, the initiative is designed to strengthen transparency, improve accountability and prevent school authorities from exploiting parents through unauthorised fees and levies.
He explained that the digital payment system would take effect from the next academic session and warned principals, bursars and other school officials against collecting money directly from parents or students.
Ajibefun said the ministry had already engaged principals across the state to sensitise them to the operation of the new platform.
“From the next session, we will not give room for anyone to deny any collection of illegal fees,” he added.
The commissioner noted that the decision followed complaints from parents during the last academic session over alleged illegal collections in some public schools.
He said he personally embarked on verification visits to affected schools and confirmed that unauthorised collections were taking place, allegedly orchestrated by some school authorities.
According to him, the findings prompted the ministry, in collaboration with stakeholders and technical experts, to develop a digital payment gateway that would make all financial transactions traceable and properly documented.
Ajibefun revealed that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had approved the initiative and assured stakeholders that funds paid through the platform would be remitted directly to the appropriate school accounts.
He stressed that the system was primarily designed to eliminate financial irregularities and urged bursars across the state to cooperate fully with the service provider handling the platform.
“So, the initiative would address existing abnormalities in the management of school finances,” he further noted.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Association of Bursars of Secondary Schools, Fisayo Fapounda, described the initiative as a welcome development that would enhance transparency in school financial management.