The Anambra State Government has slammed a one-month sanction on Blossom Fount School, Awka, for monetising student leadership by charging pupils N5,000 to contest for the position of head prefect.
The sanction, announced on Saturday by the state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh follows reports that the school imposed the controversial fee on pupils in its primary section vying for leadership roles.
Describing the practice as ‘despicable’, Chuma-Udeh expressed outrage at what she called an attempt to commercialise student leadership and exploit the ambitions of young children.
She said, ‘Investigation is going on to know how the school is being run. It is an act of selling the psyche of the children to the highest bidder from the cradle, and it is not acceptable to this government’.
‘The act of commercialising student leadership and exploiting children’s ambitions for financial gain is despicable. It amounts to selling the psyche of the children to the highest bidder from the cradle, and it is strongly condemned’, she added.
Chuma-Udeh stressed that Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration remains committed to upholding integrity and fairness within the education system, stating that such practices will not be tolerated.
According to reliable sources, the ministry’s investigation is still ongoing, and further sanctions may be imposed depending on the outcome. The goal, officials say, is to ensure accountability and deter similar actions in schools across the state.
