Parent’s Allegations Against Church-owned School Spark Mixed Reactions Online

A social media post by a parent accusing Kingdom Heritage Model School (KHMS), Onne, Rivers State, of unfair treatment and poor value for a mandatory end-of-session party fee has triggered widespread debate, with many parents sharing differing experiences across the school’s branches.

The parent, identified as Obariee Igwe, alleged in a Facebook post that the school withheld her child’s academic result while releasing another child’s result because the other student’s parents were allegedly wealthier and had reportedly offered gifts or tips to school staff.

She also criticized the school’s handling of its end-of-term celebration, claiming that despite parents paying a mandatory ₦15,000 party fee, pupils received only a food flask and a meat pie, which she described as inadequate.

“It is a shame and a pity that a church school is acting like this,” she wrote.

The allegations quickly generated hundreds of comments, with many users expressing opposing views.

Parent Maintains ₦15,000 Party Fee Was Mandatory

Responding to questions from other Facebook users, Igwe insisted that the ₦15,000 party fee was compulsory and had been included in the school’s fees.

“It very true. It 15k we paid and the school made it mandatory. They even included it in our school fees, so if you refuse to pay they will drive your child home,” she wrote.

She repeatedly clarified in the comment section that her complaint centred on the compulsory ₦15,000 payment.

Other KHMS Parents Share Different Experiences

Several parents whose children attend other branches of Kingdom Heritage Model School disputed Igwe’s account, saying their experiences had been significantly different.

A parent whose child attends the Abuja branch said graduating pupils paid only ₦6,000, adding that pupils received commemorative T-shirts and framed class photographs during their graduation activities.

Another parent whose child attends the Raji Oba, Lagos branch said the party fee there was merely a token, while pupils received food and towels, and parents were also served snacks and refreshments.

Similarly, a parent with a child at the Rumuogba, Port Harcourt branch said she paid nothing because her son is in Reception One, yet the school reportedly provided pupils with a large bowl, food, drinks and water.

Some commenters argued that differences in gifts and fees could be attributed to decisions made by individual school management teams rather than the church itself.

Social Media Users Divided

The controversy has sharply divided opinion online.

While some users sympathized with the complainant and questioned the value received for a compulsory ₦15,000 payment, others argued that graduation and end-of-session parties involve substantial organisational costs beyond the gifts distributed to pupils.

One commenter noted that the cost of event planning includes venue preparation, decorations, entertainment, DJs, masters of ceremony and logistics, arguing that parents should not judge the entire value of the event by the take-home gifts alone.

Others criticized the parent for taking the matter to social media instead of engaging directly with the school’s management, while some suggested that expectations regarding gifts may have been unrealistic.

However, several users urged the school to address the allegations concerning the alleged withholding of a pupil’s result, describing that claim as more serious than the dispute over party souvenirs.

As of the time of filing this report, Kingdom Heritage Model School has not issued an official statement addressing the allegations.

Consequently, the claims regarding the alleged withholding of a pupil’s result, the reasons behind it, and the mandatory party fee remain unverified. The New Man will update this report if the school or any relevant authority provides an official response.

Editor’s Note: This report is based on allegations made publicly on social media and reactions from other Facebook users. The allegations have not been independently verified, and they do not represent established facts. An official response from Kingdom Heritage Model School was not available at the time of publication.