The Ondo State Government has taken a bold step to protect parents and students from financial exploitation by placing an outright ban on cash payments in all public schools across the state.
This directive is part of a wider crackdown on the growing menace of unauthorised levies and outright extortion that has long plagued the public school system — a situation many Nigerian parents know all too well.
Why This Ban Was Necessary
If you have ever had a child in a Nigerian public school, chances are you have received that dreaded note in their school bag — a list of “compulsory” levies for everything from “sanitation fee” to “PTA development levy” and even fees that nobody can properly explain. Many of these charges are never officially approved, yet parents are pressured to pay or risk their children being sent home or embarrassed in class.
The Ondo State Government has clearly had enough of this. By banning cash transactions entirely in public schools, the government is cutting off the avenue through which these illegal collections thrive.
What the New Policy Means
Under the new directive from the state’s Commissioner for Education, all financial transactions in public schools must now go through official, traceable channels. No more cash changing hands between parents, pupils, and school authorities.
This means:
– No more cash collection of any kind by teachers, principals, or any school official
– All approved payments must be made through official government platforms
– School authorities caught collecting cash risk serious disciplinary action
– Parents are encouraged to report any violations to the appropriate authorities
A Win for Nigerian Parents?
For many families in Ondo State — and indeed across Nigeria — this is the kind of policy they have been waiting for. The financial burden of illegal school levies is real. In a country where many households are already stretched thin, being forced to pay unapproved fees just to keep your child in school is not just frustrating — it is punishing the very people education is meant to serve.
By digitising payments and creating a paper trail, the government makes it significantly harder for bad actors within the school system to line their pockets at the expense of ordinary families.
The Bigger Picture
Ondo State is not alone in facing this challenge. Across Nigeria, the issue of illegal levies in public schools has been a persistent problem that education authorities have struggled to contain. This ban could serve as a template for other states looking to clean up their public school systems and restore trust between parents and school administrations.
The success of this policy, however, will depend heavily on implementation and enforcement. Policies like this are only as strong as the will to enforce them. Parents, civil society, and the media will need to hold the government accountable to ensure this does not end up as just another directive that fades into the background.
What Should Parents Do?
If you have a child in a public school in Ondo State:
1. Be informed — Know that cash payments are now banned in public schools
2. Refuse to pay cash — Politely but firmly decline any request for cash payments
3. Ask for official channels — Request to be directed to the approved payment platform for any legitimate fees
4. Report violations — If any school official demands cash, report it to the State Ministry of Education immediately
5. Spread the word — Tell other parents in your community about this new policy
The Ondo State Government deserves credit for taking this step. Now, the real work begins — making sure it actually works on the ground, in every classroom, in every school across the state.
What do you think about this policy? Will it truly end extortion in public schools? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
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