Kogi State enacted a “Free Education Bill” with the promise of reducing the financial burden on parents. However, the reality in our schools proves otherwise. Principals have been instructed to collect ₦4,000 per student, while schools under local government control collect over ₦5,500. How can education be called free when parents are still paying these compulsory fees?
Failure of the Ministry of Education
For the past three years, the Ministry of Education has failed to deliver on its responsibilities:
No provision of learning materials to schools
No subventions or operational support
No modern school facilities compared to states like Kaduna, Edo, or Taraba
Neglect of Teachers and School Development
Teachers are the backbone of education, yet in Kogi State:
No training or professional development
No welfare packages
No access to car loans, motorcycle loans, or laptop schemes
No motivation or recognition
Without education, none of those in government today would occupy public office, whether elected or appointed. Yet the system that produced them is being neglected.
Governor Ododo Must Act Before 2027
If Governor Ododo Ahmed Usman fails to address this decay before 2027, we will have no choice but to support a candidate from Kogi West who prioritizes education. Leadership must be held accountable.
Kogi State Has the Funds
The federal allocation received by the state is enough to:
Recruit more qualified teachers
Establish ICT centers in every school
Strengthen technical and vocational colleges
Provide proper infrastructure
Paying for WAEC, BECE, and Common Entrance is not enough. These are temporary interventions, not long-term solutions. Schools need consistent incentives and investment.
Where Are the Libraries?
In the entire state, not a single senatorial district has a functional public library.
How can students research, innovate, or compete nationally and globally without access to libraries and digital learning centers?
Education is the Foundation of Development
A state that neglects education is a state that plans to remain underdeveloped. If we truly value the future of Kogi State, then we must invest in the system that shapes our children.
Education cannot be called free when parents are still paying.
Education cannot be called quality when teachers are abandoned.
Education cannot be called a priority when schools are decaying.
It is time for urgent reforms.
It is time for true free education.
It is time to save education in Kogi State
– Adeiza Muhammad
For: Save Education Initiative
