The Abia State House of Assembly has intervened in the controversy surrounding the alleged exorbitant school fees charged at Government College, Umuahia, following complaints from parents and old students.
The move followed a petition by an old boy of the school, Chukwudi Onwudinanti, who claimed the institution now charges over N1 million annually, making quality education inaccessible to many.
Deputy Speaker Austin Meregini confirmed that the petition had passed its first reading, assuring that the Assembly would uphold the school’s founding vision of providing affordable education.
Onwudinanti’s petition detailed how the school’s management, under the trusteeship of the Government College Umuahia Old Boys Association (GCUOBA), allegedly deviated from the institution’s original goals by introducing high fees.
He urged the Assembly to intervene, warning that the new fee structure could exclude bright but less privileged students from accessing education.
Attempts to reach the school’s governing board chairman for comments were unsuccessful, but a board member, who spoke anonymously, defended the fees as being in the best interest of the school.
