Illegal Schools: Ebonyi Private Proprietors Appeal For 12-month Grace

Ebonyi State branch of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) has appealed to the state government to give its members a 12-month grace to meet the criteria set for school standardisation in the state.

The state chairman of the association , Mr. Felix Nomeh, who made the request in Abakaliki, said the association was discussing with the relevant government authorities following the recent educational reform policies which led to the closure of many unapproved schools in the state.

He maintained that the association is not against the drastic measures taken by the government to ensure quality education in the primary and secondary school system, adding that most of the policies and reforms have been in existence before now.

He expressed concern about the proliferation of substandard schools in the state, and added that most of the substandard schools exist mostly amongst faith-based school establishments.
He decried the menace of quakery in the school system in the state, stressing that the association will partner with the state government to provide qualitative education for Ebonyi children.

“Every sound mind must support the government decision to provide quality education with good environment for our children. All the same, we are appealing to the government to give our members a 12-month window of grace to sit up.

“We cannot blackmail or fight government. The decision to appeal to government for 12 months window grace is to enable those affected to meet up with criteria the government sets for them.

“We are also appealing to government to consider any school that has secured land and has done meaningful or appreciable development in the school .

“Secondary schools that have received secondary establishment approval should be given automatic waiver to run primary schools because it is still the same segment of the 9,3,4, system of education.”

Nomeh advised private school proprietors to partner with relevant authorities in their bid to process the procurement of site approval and establishment with the Ministry of Education for possible inspection.

He noted that he has brought to an end illegal collection of taxes and other forms of extortion from private schools, adding that they are adhering strictly to the Ebonyi State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as enshrined in the Ebonyi State Revenue Laws.