The Lagos State Government’s Office of Education Quality Assurance has issued provisional permission letters to 199 new private school owners, bringing the total number of registered private elementary and secondary schools in the state to 5,622.
Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, gave the letters to some of the new school owners on Thursday at the Education Resource Centre in Ojodu. He asked for necessary steps to ensure child safety in all authorised schools in the state.
While praising the proprietors for taking the risk of obtaining official licence, Alli-Balogun lamented the number of unregistered schools in the state, estimating that about 12,000 private schools were operating without statutory approvals.
According to a statement released on Friday, unlicensed schools in Lagos State account for 80% of the state’s child abuse complaints.
The commissioner was cited as saying:
“The ministry will continue to sanitise the education sector and make it thrive for only government-recognised schools in the state.
“Ensure adequate safety measures are taken to secure the life of every child in your school and let your teachers and supporting staff imbibe the safety measures as part of school governance culture.”
cc: Punch Ng
