The Rivers State Government has
again warned teachers against collection of any fee from the pupils as payment
of fees is prohibited in all government owned schools in Rivers State.

The Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi
gave the warning during the 2012 Christmas Carol of the Ministry of Education
which took place at State Primary School 11 Orogbum in Port Harcourt last
weekend.

Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi commended teachers in Rivers
State for their commitment to duty and declared that they had proven that they
were the best in the country.

The Commissioner charged the pupils and students to
utilize the facilities provided by the state government and advised them to
take their studies seriously so as to complement government’s investment in
education.

According to the Commissioner, the Ministry has lined up
many programmes like quiz, debate and essay competitions so as to expose them
to greater heights, and charged stakeholders in the education sector to brace
up for the challenges that lie ahead in 2013 stressing that with their support,
the Ministry would break more ground.

In his address, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State
Ministry of education, Dr. Richard Ofuru, thanked God for his mercies in 2012
while wishing for a better year in 2013.

Ofuru commended the Commissioner for Education for her
passion in driving the vision of Governor Chibuike Amaechi in Education noting
that the Ministry would not have achieved all they did without the commitment
of the Commissioner.

Also speaking, the head teacher of State Primary School
11 Orogbum Mrs Evelyn Wornu, on behalf of the teachers, thanked the Rivers
State Government for choosing the school for the programme.

Mrs Wornu said Governor Amaechi has given a new lease of
life to the education sector maintaining that teaching and learning have been
made easy because of the facilities provided by the government.

The first lesson at the Carol of nine
lessons was read by a primary one pupil, Brianyan Germany from the book of
Genesis 3:8-15, while the second lesson was read by the Commissioner for
Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi from the book of John 1:1-14. the third
lesson was taken from the book of Matthew 2:1-12 and was read by the Permanent
Secretary, Dr. Richard Ofuru.

In another development, the Ekiti State
Government has threatened to sanction any private school which contravenes the
stipulated guidelines for running the academic calendar in the state.

The Commissioner for Education, Dr
Eniola Ajayi, said this  while inspecting
schools in Ado-Ekiti, recently.

She said the threat became imperative
following rumours that some private schools were planning to deviate from the
school calendar drawn by the state government.

Ajayi directed that private and public
schools operating in the state should vacate for Christmas and New Year
festivities on December 21 and resume on January 7, 2013.

She warned all schools to adhere
strictly to the calendar to enable private and public schools operate at the same
pace to engender radical development in the education sector.