The Anambra State Government has issued a directive to all private schools operating without official approval to regularise their status by September or risk being shut down.
The warning was issued on Thursday in Awka by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, during a stakeholders meeting with proprietors of private schools.
Prof. Chuma-Udeh expressed dissatisfaction over the continued operation of unapproved schools despite multiple warnings and an extended grace period granted by the state.
“There are still many private schools in the state that have yet to be approved. The time given by the governor to shut down such schools has expired.
“This meeting is to know the reason for the delay in getting approval. But if by beginning of first term, those schools are yet to be approved, we will close them down.
“That is what the law stipulates and we have given enough grace,” she said.
Enforcement delay concerns
The commissioner noted that she had obtained permission from the Governor to extend the grace period and had been restraining the task force from enforcing the shutdown, but proprietors had continued to delay.
“Even though I took permission from the governor to extend the time and have been holding back the task force, the owners of the schools are still delaying,” she stated.
During the meeting, some proprietors raised concerns about individuals impersonating government officials and attempting to extort money from them.
In response, the commissioner assured stakeholders that the ministry would investigate the matter.
What you should know
The Anambra State Government has identified about 2,000 unaccredited private schools operating across the 21 local government areas of the state.
According to the Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosum, “the situation is unacceptable, especially considering the premium Governor Chukwuma Soludo, “a first-class academic himself,” has placed on quality education.”
- Nwosu explained that establishing and running a school without official accreditation implies the institution is not meeting the standards set by the state through its Ministry of Education.
- The government has also taken steps to improve transparency and access to information by instructing that the list of approved schools be distributed to local government Education Departments through the Transition Committee Chairmen.
This renewed clampdown aligns with recent enforcement actions, including the closure of Upcoming Star International School in Awka in August 2024. The school was shut down following a bullying incident, during which the Ministry discovered the school was operating without approval.
