By Abiodun JAMIU

THE Kwara State Government has told owners of private schools in the state to forgo the collection of third term school fees from parents as the 2020/2021 academic session commences on Monday, October 5.

Fatimah Bisola Ahmed, Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, made this known in a meeting with stakeholders in the education sector held at St Anthony Secondary School on Friday.

The ICIR had reported that the state government arranged the sum of N135 million interest-free loans for private schools in the state to cushion the effects of the coronavirus virus pandemic ahead of resumption.

In this regard, Ahmed said the state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved October 5 as the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic session, stressing that no schools under any disguise should collect third term fees from parents.

She, therefore, proposed that rather, schools should organise revision classes and placement examination within two weeks of resumption.

The Commissioner who was represented at the meeting by Comfort Abioye, the Director, Quality Assurance Bureau,  said Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will start on Tuesday, October 6, while Common Entrance will hold on October 17.

Ahmed who urged the schools to ensure strict compliance with the COVID-19 guidelines in order to flatten the curve of the pandemic said that the swapping of principals to curb examination malpractices will continue in both BECE and the forthcoming NECO examinations.

“Principals in public schools will be swapped to other schools to monitor and supervise exams. This will allow external invigilators to do their work effectively and efficiently,” she stated.

The approved Kwara State School Calendar for 2020/2021 was unveiled at the meeting.

The academic session is as follows: First Term – October 5 to  December 18, Second Term – January 4, 2021, to March 31, 2021; Third Term –  April 26, 2021, to  July 30 2021

The 2021/2022 Academic Session begins on  September 20, 2021 to December 17, 2021, respectively.