Ogun: Parents protest N25,000 COVID-19 test fee for pupils

Dapo Abiodun

Parents of pupils in private secondary schools in Ogun State are protesting the request of N25,000 coronavirus test fee on each pupil by the government.

This comes ahead of the return to schools by graduating pupils following months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The state government had said no boarding school pupil would be allowed to resume without a valid negative coronavirus test certificate.

The government also asked the parents to take their wards to designated places for the test between Friday and Monday.

But parents expressed disapproval of the government’s request, protesting on Sunday at MTR 250 bed specialist hospital, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the designated place for the pupils in Abeokuta.

Some of the parents told PUNCH on the condition of anonymity that attempts to get their children tested for free failed as they were asked to pay N25,000 for each child.

They accused the government of insensitivity.

Special adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on primary and secondary education Ronke Soyombo did not answer the paper’s calls and messages to her cellphone number for comments.