Parents raise alarm over alleged extortion in Akwa Ibom unity school, seek FG's intervention

Parents of students at Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State have appealed to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, to intervene over alleged extortion and multiple charges by the school management and PTA. Parent Etim Ikong claimed the school demanded N20,000 for uniforms, despite payments already made through the RRR system, and threatened to send students home if they refused to pay again. The charges included N7,500 for mattress covers and N12,500 for uniforms, totaling N20,000 per student, which could amount to N12 million from a single class. Some parents refused to pay, stating their previous payments to the government were sufficient, and noted the absence of school officials during resumption, suspecting an attempt to avoid parental anger.