The Ondo State Government has banned cash transactions in public schools and introduced a digital payment platform to strengthen financial accountability and tackle unauthorised collections.
The policy, which will commence with the new academic session, was announced by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology during a meeting with officials of the Association of Bursars of Secondary Schools in the state.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, said school principals had been briefed on the new arrangement ahead of its implementation. He explained that the decision followed complaints over alleged illegal fees and other unauthorised collections in some schools.
The commissioner disclosed that personal visits to some schools confirmed the existence of such practices, prompting the ministry to work with relevant stakeholders and its technical team to develop the electronic payment system.
“From now on, every payment will have to pass through the gateway, and we have placed a ban on cash payments,” he said.
He explained that the platform would enable the government to monitor and trace transactions, making it more difficult for unauthorised collections to be hidden. He stressed that the initiative was not designed to take control of school funds, as payments would be transferred to the accounts of the respective schools.
The commissioner added that the governor had approved the digital payment system several months ago, describing its implementation as established government policy. He urged school bursars to cooperate with the platform’s service provider to ensure a smooth transition.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Akindele Ige, said the system would promote efficiency, transparency and accountability, while the association’s chairman, Mr Fisayo Fapounda, welcomed the initiative but urged the platform provider to engage bursars extensively to prevent misinformation and ensure all stakeholders understood how it works.
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