Benin City, April 14,2025 – Barrister Mrs. Onomen Goodness Briggs, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), convened a strategic meeting yesterday with the Acting Education Secretaries (AESs) representing all 18 Local Government Areas of Edo State. The gathering, held at the SUBEB headquarters, addressed pressing concerns surrounding teacher deployment, transfers, and the illicit collection of fees within the basic education system.
Mrs. Briggs opened the session by reaffirming the government’s commitment to free basic education in Edo State. “Under no circumstances,” she declared, “should any parent or pupil be asked to pay fees or levies outside the approved government channels.” She warned that any AES found complicit in such illegal collections would face immediate disciplinary action.
A significant portion of the discussion centered on the unauthorized collection of money from teachers and school heads by certain AESs. Mrs. Briggs condemned this practice as “outrightly wrong,” emphasizing that neither Acting Education Secretaries nor any SUBEB official holds the authority to impose financial demands on staff. She reminded the secretaries that their mandates do not include the power to post, transfer, or swap teaching personnel or school administrators without explicit board approval.
To ensure compliance with statutory guidelines, Mrs. Briggs instructed all AESs to familiarize themselves thoroughly with both the Civil and Public Service Handbook and the SUBEB Establishment Law. “Decisions taken beyond your stipulated roles—without recourse to the Board—undermine our collective mission and will no longer be tolerated,” she asserted, warning that future infractions would be met with strict sanctions.
In a gesture of appreciation, the Acting Education Secretaries presented congratulatory cards to Mrs. Briggs, the Board Secretary, and the three Board Members representing Edo North, Edo Central, and Edo South senatorial districts on their appointments.
In attendance at the meeting were the directors of all SUBEB departments alongside the 18 Acting Education Secretaries.
By reinforcing clear boundaries of authority and underscoring the zero-tolerance stance on illicit levies, SUBEB aims to foster a more accountable and equitable environment for teachers, pupils, and parents across Edo State.
