Bayelsa govt to shutdown substandard private schools

The Bayelsa State Ministry of Education has directed the closure of private schools operating on facilities such as open halls, including religious buildings and community halls, uncompleted block buildings, tarpaulin houses and wooden buildings, saying that it falls below the government-approved standards.

According to a statement by the Commissioner for Education Bayelsa State, Dr Emelah Gentle, the practices of private schools in the state are not only inimical to the academic development of the children and the state in general but some also pose high levels of physical and health risks to the children.

The statement further directed private school operators in the state to upgrade their facilities to meet government-required standards before the resumption of the next academic session or risk closure by the government as substandard schools will no longer be tolerated moving forward.

The statement further read “Government wishes to also use this medium to warn private school operators fond of operating their own calendar to desist forthwith and maintain only the government approved calendar as any school caught doing so will be severely sanctioned.

“For further enquiries, operators of schools are advised to visit the Ministry of Education at Ovom, Yenagoa, for more details. Proprietors are advised to adhere for their interest.”