Plateau Govt Revokes All Private Schools’ Licences

• Over compromised standards, illegal activities

BY EDMOND ODOK – For operating illegally and compromising the standard of education in the State, the Plateau Government has revoked the licences of all private Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools operating in the state.

According to the government, the action, which takes immediate effect, is due to the unscrupulous activities of some schools that are impacting negatively on the State’s education sector.

However, there is a window for Schools with proper certification and documentation to approach the relevant office for necessary approval ahead of the September resumption date for the 2022/2023 academic session.

Addressing a press conference in Jos, the Plateau State capital, Commissioner for Secondary Education, Elizabeth Wampuk, warned parents against having their ward(s) in illegal schools as they would be barred from registering and sitting for all approved federal and State governments examinations.

Wampuk said the decision was taken after the government realised that over 5000 private schools were operating without a licence with over 90 percent of them not adhering to official policies and mandates.

Also pointing out that about 85 percent of the 495 private schools initially granted licenses have compromised standards, the Commissioner said in a statement thus; “This is to inform the general public that the operating licenses of all operating private nursery, pre-primary, primary, junior secondary and senior secondary schools in Plateau state are hereby deregistered with effect from 28th July 2022.

“The order means that all private schools in the state will have to revalidate their certification. This is as the result of the following: The quality assurance mandate requires all private schools to renew their operating license after every five years but unfortunately, private schools’ licenses in Plateau state have not been renewed for so many decades.

“Dependable records reveal that there are over 5,000 private schools operating without licenses in Plateau state. 85% of 485 private schools granted licenses have compromised their standards. 90% of the private schools do not adhere to Government policies and mandates.

“Many of the private schools use secondary school graduates to teach instead of the minimum Nigeria Certificate in Education, NCE or Degree certificates that should be duly registered with Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).”

Furthermore, Mrs Wampum said; “Reliable reports showed that some of the private schools have concealed their premises to avoid routine inspection serving as hideouts for criminal activities. The proliferation of unregistered/illegal private schools in the State has robbed the State of the potential impact on education.

“Consequently, the Ministry of Education has resolved to fast-track the revalidation process as follow: All private schools that initially have licence(s) will submit to the Ministry of Education while new ones will be issued after certifying the reviewed Federal and Plateau State Quality Assurance Procedures for establishing private schools.

“Revalidation committees have been put in place to revalidate all private schools in the State. In this regard, all private schools should proceed to their respective Zonal offices of Education closest to them with all relevant documents to revalidate their schools with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022.

“Only schools that certify the revalidation exercise will be allowed to resume next academic session, 2022/2023 in September 2022. A list of schools that are cleared would be published in national dailies.

“Parents should note that if they send their ward(s) to schools that are not duly certified, they run the risk of being barred from participating in any federal or State examinations, including the First School Leaving Certificate examinations, Basic Education Certificates Examinations, Senior School Certificate Examinations.

“The exercise is to check the proliferation of illegal private schools and to support those that operate within the ambits of the law with the aim of achieving quality education for all.”

The Commissioner said going forward, the exercise would effectively check the proliferation of illegal Private Schools while ensuring support for those that are operating within the ambit of the law, to achieve quality education for all.