Parents of the pupils of College of Education, Warri (COEW) Primary & Nursery School, on Monday 18 September, 2023, protested against the increase in the prices of books and fees by the school’s management, threatening to withdraw their children from the school if the increment is not reversed.
The Parents, who were joined by the pupils of the school in the protest, gathered at the school’s gate, calling on the management of the school to reverse the increment.
“The increment in the prices of the books for the children is outrageous,” they lamented, threatening, “We’ll withdraw our children from the school if nothing is done by the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori led People’s Democratic Party, PDP Government to address the worrisome development.”
One of the parents, Tonukarin Dabona said, “The management of COEWA Nursery & Primary School increased the books of his wards from twenty nine thousand, five hundred naira (₦29,500) to fifty two thousand naira(₦52,000). According to him, “The school said it’s compulsory for the pupils to buy the books.”
While noting that the parents had no option than protest the increment, Dabona said, “lf the school’s authority does not revert the hike in the prices of books, parents will not allow their children go back to the school.”
Continuing, Dabona called on Governor Oborevwori to intervene so that their children can go back to school.
Another parent, Mr. Preye Suowari, who has three children in the school corroborated Dabona’s statement, saying, “The reason parents are gathered here is because they’re protesting the hike of fees and books of their kids by the Management of COEWA Nursery & Primary School.”
He noted that the books that are being sold at exorbitant prices by the school are not ‘original’ from the factory. “They’re bound photocopies of the original books,” he said.
Suowari added, “The most annoying is that the books are being sold at ‘outrageous’ prices to parents.”
He said, “Governor Sheriff Oborevwori “need” to do something about the situation, so that parents can buy books for their children anywhere across the State, but not to be compelled to buy the books from the school as it’s being practiced at the COEWA Nursery & Primary School.”
“Parents are crying, parents are dying,”.he further lamented, while appealing to Governor Oborevwori to act speedily.
Other parents who claimed to have paid the fees of their wards demanded a refund of their money, threatening to take their children to private schools within Warri.
They threatened to drag the school to court of law, if the management fails to refund their money.
Efforts to speak with the Provost of the College of Education, Warri (COEWA), Dr. Oyovwi was unsuccessful at the time of this report.
