Lagos to Shut 10, 427 Unregistered Private Schools

• Says only 4,573 schools are duly registered

Gboyega Akinsanmi

The Lagos State Government wednesday disclosed that no fewer than 10,427 private schools were operating in different parts of the state without approval, warning that it would shut them if they failed to comply.

The state government also revealed that of the 15,000 private schools currently operating in the state, only 4,573 complied with the state’s school standard practice and other stipulated regulations.

The Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, disclosed this at a meeting with the Deputy Head of Regional Operations, Department for International Development (DFID), Mr. Ben Nicholson, in her office at Alausa wednesday.

She said the state government was committed to the ongoing enumeration and registration of all private schools operating in the state, saying the exercise became imperative to standardise the operation of private schools.

Adebule explained that the purpose of enumerating and registering all private schools was “to ensure that they have government approvals and comply with the stipulated regulations and standards.”

She added that the exercise “is aimed at ensuring that all pupils have equal access to quality education irrespective of whether they attend private or public schools. Already, we are making efforts to get all private schools registered.
“That is the essence of the enumeration and registration exercise. For now, out of 15,000 private schools operating in the state, only 4,573 are duly registered and have received government approval.

“Others are operating without licenses because they do not want to conform to standard practice. Any school that does not meet government requirements after the exercise will be forced to close down.”

By implication, the deputy governor noted that about 10,427 private schools were operating without government approval, thereby representing 69.52 per cent of all private schools in the state.

At the meeting, Adebule expressed its readiness to strengthen its collaboration with the DFID in its quest to improve on the quality of education in the state, acknowledging that previous collaborations with the body has brought significant improvement to the growth of quality education in the state.

He added that the DFID’s Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria (ESSPIN) implemented in Lagos “has helped to build teachers’ capacity and helped in the upgrade of public schools infrastructure.

“Though the ESSPIN contract will expire January 2017, the state government is considering the review of the programme with a view to extending the pact because of the great value it has added to the education sector.”

She urged them to design programmes that/further expose teachers in the public service “to modern teaching techniques and build their capacity in the overall interest of raising the standard of education in the state.

“The collaboration of the DFID with the state government in the area of education has been of tremendous benefit to the state government and we hope to strengthen this working relationship so as to further promote the quality of education in our dear state.”