Kogi govt issues operating licenses to 53 new private schools

The Kogi Government on Thursday issued operating licenses to 53 new private schools that have met the minimum standard for the establishment of schools across the state.

The State’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, at the presentation ceremony in Lokoja, said a total of 308 private schools classified under three categories would receive licenses out of about 5000 private schools in Kogi.

According to her, 53 new schools under category ‘A’ have met the minimum standard, while 21 schools under category ‘B’ that are yet to meet the minimum standard would be given tentative license approval based on some conditions.

She added that 150 schools under category ‘C’ would have their licenses renewed, while 84 other schools were still going through licence processing; making a grand total of 308 schools both primary and secondary.

She said that the ministry had conducted the Annual School Census in 2018 and 2019, sponsored by the State Government to ascertain the total number of schools and their status across the state.

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She noted that the two reports revealed that the majority of private schools in the state did not meet the minimum standard for school establishment but were operating illegally.

Osikoya explained that the ministry had to revoke all school license in the state because there was no honesty as the integrity of the process was compromised.

She stressed that the ministry was working on the directive of the governor: ”that there should be no proliferation of illegal schools in Kogi State”.

She congratulated the governor for his efforts and remarkable achievements in the education sector, saying the ministry had been able to bridge the policy governance gaps and strengthened alliance with relevant stakeholders.

The commissioner on behalf of the governor congratulated the proprietors of the beneficiary schools for making the lists while urging them to keep improving on quality education standard.

Speaking on behalf of the schools, Dr Yaqeen Habeeb, the State Chairman of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), thanked the State Government for the gesture.

Habeeb enjoined the government to continue to support the association and carry them along in the scheme of things while urging the beneficiaries to continually build on the standard.