The Ondo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has introduced a digital payment gateway for financial transactions in public schools across the state, banning cash payments as part of measures to curb illegal collections and strengthen accountability.
The policy, which takes effect from the new academic session, was announced during a meeting between the ministry and executives of the Association of Bursars of Secondary Schools in Ondo State.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology said principals across the state had already been sensitised on the new payment system to ensure its smooth implementation.
According to the commissioner, the decision followed widespread complaints of illegal and unauthorised collections in schools during the last academic session.
He disclosed that he personally visited some schools to verify the complaints and confirmed that certain unauthorised collections were taking place.
He said the findings prompted the ministry, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and its technical team, to develop a payment gateway through which every financial transaction in schools could be traced and properly documented.
The commissioner said, “From now on, every payment will have to pass through the gateway, and we have placed a ban on cash payments.”
He added that the system would ensure that no one could deny or conceal the collection of illegal fees.
The commissioner stressed that the gateway was not designed to take over funds belonging to schools, but to promote transparency, accountability and effective monitoring of school finances.
He explained that payments made through the platform would be remitted to the appropriate school accounts, assuring school authorities that the system was primarily aimed at eliminating financial irregularities.
He further disclosed that the payment gateway had been approved by the state governor several months ago, describing its implementation as a government policy that was not open to negotiation.
The commissioner urged school bursars to cooperate with the partner handling the platform, saying the initiative would address existing abnormalities in the management of school finances.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Akindele Ige, said the digital payment system would promote efficiency, transparency and accountability in school financial administration.
Ige urged the bursars to engage other stakeholders and adequately explain the new system to them, stressing that their cooperation would be critical to its success.
The Chairman of the Association of Bursars of Secondary Schools, Mr Fisayo Fapounda, commended the ministry for introducing the initiative, describing it as a positive step towards improving transparency in school financial management.
Fapounda, however, urged the payment gateway partner to engage more broadly with members of the association to ensure that all bursars were properly informed and to prevent misinformation about the system.
