Anambra State Assembly Wades Into High Cost Of Books, Uniforms In the Schools

Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to direct the Commissioner for Education to engage the public, private, and mission schools in addressing the exorbitant cost of textbooks, school uniforms purchased from exclusively designated vendors, and mandatory extra moral classes.

The resolution was made following a motion moved to that effect by the Deputy Majority Leader and member representing Ekwusigo Constituency, Sir Ikenna Ofodeme at the Tuesday plenary session.

Sir Ikenna submitted that the current practices in Anambra State primary and secondary schools where they use textbooks as workbooks, uniforms purchased from exclusively designated vendors, and mandatory extra moral classes place undue financial burdens on parents and guardians, particularly for families with multiple children in the same school.

The Member representing Ogbaru Constituency One, Honourable Noble Igwe, his Anambra East counterpart, Barrister Obi Nweke, and the member representing Nnewi North Constituency, Honourable Augustine Ike among other lawmakers, described the motion as life-changing and shared the same experiences of excessive costs of textbooks and school uniforms from same vendor provided by the school.

The Speaker, Right Honourable Somtochukwu Udeze, read out the resolution, which received unanimous support.