Ondo govt disowns N8,000 blood test fee in public school

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State Government has disowned an alleged N8,000 blood-testing fee reportedly collected from students of CAC Adu Memorial Grammar School, Oke-Aro, Akure.

The state Ministry of Education said it did not authorise the exercise or approve any payment from students for blood testing in the school.

According to the ministry’s Press Officer, Bisi Lawani, the alleged exercise was reportedly organised by the school principal without approval from the appropriate authorities.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Lawani said the government had been informed that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps was investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

She stressed that no government policy authorised public school students to pay N8,000 for blood testing, adding that any such collection, if established, was carried out without the ministry’s approval.

The ministry further stated that school principals were not empowered to organise such exercises or impose financial charges on students without the requisite government approval.

Consequently, the ministry directed school principals and administrators to operate within approved government policies and ensure proper oversight of activities involving staff and students.

The government also urged parents, guardians and students to report unauthorised levies and other irregularities in public schools, assuring that anyone found culpable after investigation would face appropriate administrative or legal action.