Authority of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has closed two private schools for operating below minimum standard in the territory.
The affected schools are Erudite Bright Kids at Kagini and Jane’s Angela School in Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC.
The schools were closed during an operation to close all substandard schools operating in the FCT.
The Mandate Secretary, Education Secretariat, FCTA, Dr Danlami Hayyo, who led the team explained that the measure was to ensure the quality of teaching and learning in FCT schools.
Hayyo said that “the move was in line with the mandate of the Department of Quality Assurance charged with the core responsibility of proper accreditation of schools, monitoring, and inspection.”
This, according to him, is to ensure quality educational services, compliance with the requirements for the establishment of schools, and enforcement of minimum standards as stipulated in the operational guidelines for Schools.
“In a normal situation, no school should be allowed to operate in the FCT without due registration, payment of dues, and obtaining the requirements.
“The secretariat through the Department of Quality Assurance is determined to sanitise the system for a better teaching and learning process.
“We will also intensify its efforts to ensure FCT schools compete favorably in the global education space,” he said.
He called on the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) to enlighten their members on minimum standards and the need to key into FCT Administration educational policies.
Hayyo also called for robust partnership of the private sector in the delivery of quality educational services to the teeming residents of the FCT.
The mandate Secretary also frowned at the attitude of some school proprietors who denied evaluators and inspectors from accessing school premises.
On her part, the Director, of the Department of Quality Assurance, Dr. Favour Nse-Edem, explained that the sealed schools failed to satisfy the conditions of establishment of regular schools.
Nse-Edem said that there were no records of their existence and that they had been operating for years, stressing that the closure was key to maintaining standards in schools.
She said that “the department would continue to ensure that both public and private schools operate within expected standards.”
Nse-Edem further said that “all schools must operate in line with minimum requirements, be duly accredited, and registered, and adhere to operational guidelines.”
The Director said that the closure exercise was with the approval of the Minister of FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
Nse-Edem explained that the department had created awareness through public announcements in various media organisations on the need to comply with operational guidelines to provide quality educational services.
She said that “the announcement served as a warning signal to defaulting and substandard schools operating in an unconducive environment.”
“Other schools are operating in an environment that predisposes students to health hazards and those operating in faulty physical structure among others.
“The department has continued to advise the school’s owners on what is expected of them but has continued to ignore such professional advice of quality assurance evaluators,” she said.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
