To 199 new private school owners, the Lagos State Office of Education Quality Assurance, or OEQA, has delivered letters of provisional approval.
With the approval, there are now 5,622 registered private primary and secondary schools in the State, up from 5,423 at the beginning.
At the Education Resource Centre (ERC) Ojodu on Thursday, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, commended the school owners for their audacious move in requesting government approval. He did this by presenting some of the new school owners with provisional letters.
He bemoaned the quantity of unregistered schools in the State, disclosing that over 12,000 private schools are functioning without authorization from the government.
The Commissioner disclosed that 80% of child abuse cases in Lagos State originate from schools that are not licenced by the state. However, she also pledged that the Ministry will keep cleaning up the education system and ensuring that only government-recognized institutions prosper in it.
The commissioner urged the proprietors of the schools to put every student’s life first by making sure they are safe both during and after school.
The new school owners were reminded by Alli-Balogun that the provisional approvals for their establishment were granted in their names, subject to the terms outlined in the Guidelines on Establishment and Operation of Schools.
He made use of the opportunity to urge other owners of private schools who have not yet begun or completed the registration and approval procedure to do so right away, citing the many advantages for school owners, students, parents, and communities.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Abayomi Abolaji, encouraged the owners of schools to follow their drive to raise students who will in the long run benefit them, their families, and the country as a whole in his letter of goodwill.
While Giving an overview of the benefits and conditions attached to the provisional approval given to the new private school owners, the Director, Private Education and Special Programmes (PESP), OEQA,
Mrs. Fabambi Falayi congratulated the new school owners for meeting all the requirements needed to secure approval from the State Government.