Ebonyi State Ministry of Education has sealed a total of 72 substandard and unapproved private Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools in the state.
Some of the schools were said to share environments with poultry and other animals.
The Commissioner for Education in the state, Paul Nwobashi, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Secondary Education, Peter Nwogbaga and other stakeholders effected the sealing of the schools operating inside church buildings, uncompleted buildings and under trees during a sanitization process of the education sector in the state.
They expressed displeasure over the rising number of illegal and substandard schools in the state, which according to them, if not checked, would jeopardize the future of the state.
“There are rules and regulations guiding establishment of schools, unfortunately such guides have been grossly abused in Ebonyi State. It is such that we had to look into it. In the school, we have more than 1,500 private schools, all littered everywhere under the trees, in churches, and uncompleted buildings. Such are ugly cites. We have decided that those people who have refused to look at the guidelines, we will close such schools, the situation can be said to be abuse for children.
“In one of the schools, the children were caged inside the garage by a pastor, the proprietor had to use waterproof and tapoline for the building and the children were caged in there. There was no window, and because they might beat them, the children could not speak, they were all crying. I wonder what parents these days think about sending their children to such schools. We had to report the case to the police and it is still being handled.
“It is a continuous exercise, especially to monitor those who reopen their schools after sealing; we will take them to court. We will use the appropriate law and charge them to court.
“Parents should send their wards to schools that are approved and appropriate for them to stay and do away with unnecessary ego. The best private school may not be the best school; after all, the pupils who score high in external examinations do not come from private schools. They come from public schools, because we have the best qualified teachers,” they stated.
Reacting, the State Chairman of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Felix Nomeh and the Vice Chairman, Daniel Ofoke commended the state government for sanitizing the system.
