Five principals of public secondary schools in Delta wState have been downgraded to classroom teachers for professional misconduct and negligence of duty.

Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, disclosed this in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta during a meeting with principals of state-owned secondary schools on Tuesday.

Muoboghare accused two of the affected principals of ignoring the directive of the ministry by leaving their base and travelling to Minna, to enrol their students for the NECO examination.

He warned that the ministry would no longer fold its arms and allow officials entrusted with responsibilities to behave as if there were no laws and order.

The commissioner said that the two principals in St Pius X Grammar School, Onicha-Ugbo  were demoted because they could not explain the whereabouts of a 25 KVA generating set installed in the school.

He said the principal of Mein Grammar School, Kiagbodo  could not explain how 40 pieces of computer sets in the school were stolen without his knowledge.

Muoboghare warned that the ministry would deal decisively with any principal found wanting in the discharge of his or her duties.

He advised principals of state-owned schools not to admit more than 40 students in JSS 1 in the new academic session, adding that exception to this directive must come from his office.

He also directed that only those, who passed the cognitive placement examination, should be admitted; adding that only approved levies should be collected.

Responding on behalf of the principals, the first Vice President, All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) Mr Edafe Udoma-Edoka, urged the government to look into the issue of promotion of its members.

He also called for upward review of the boarding fees for students in the state Model Secondary Schools, as the present amount was not enough to feed the students.