The Nasarawa State Commissioner of Education, Mr Tijjani Ahmed, on Wednesday said the ministry had commenced the closure of unregistered private schools operating in the state.

Ahmed, who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia, said the unregistered schools were discovered following a census conducted recently.

The commissioner said the ministry had since set up a taskforce to look into their activities.

Ahmed also lamented that some schools operate in an uncondusive environment without space and some in uncompleted buildings.

He warned all private school operators who have yet to pay their yearly levies to do so to avoid sanctions.

He said it was no longer going to be business as usual where some people would short-change the government by not paying charges due to it.

Ahmed said proprietors of private schools should strictly adhere to the guidelines for the establishment and operation of their activities in the state.

The Commissioner explained that apart from the steps to shut illegal schools, the government had also set up other measures to tackle proliferation of illegal schools.

“The ministry has decided to step up supervision and review the registration of new schools upward and increased renewal registration for existing schools,’’ he said.

The commissioner said that so far, more of such illegal schools were found in Mararaba, Masaka and other communities of Karu Local Government Area.

He also disclosed that the ministry was working out modalities to address the challenges of students who were currently at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps due to attacks in some communities in the state.

Ahmed said the government would make arrangements for students at the IDPs camps who were supposed to write WASSCE and NECO to do.

https://extraloops.com/international-news/nasarawa-begins-closure-of-unregistered-private-schools-commissioner/

cc:lalastica