Oyo to Shut Illegal Schools

…as enrolments in public schools increase

By Tony Okechukwu

Oyo State Government has promised to clamp down on illegal private primary schools operating within the State, saying that a taskforce would be set up in earnest to address the menace.

The development was made known to newsmen on Monday, by the Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Nureni Aderemi Adeniran, during an inspection of schools in the State capital.

Adeniran revealed that the State Government without further delay, would set up a task force, to be spearheaded by the Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, in collaboration with Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board.

He said that the task force would close down all mushroom private schools endangering quality in the education sector in the State.

Dr. Adeniran however charged parents and guardians to enrol their children and wards in public schools, noting that the free education policy by Gov. Seyi Makinde, was already yielding positive results in schools in the 2019 academic session.

“Looking at the influx of new intakes in public schools today, being the first day of resumption, it is apparent that Gov. Seyi Makinde’s free-education policy is yielding good fruits in the State".

"It is highly important that those private primary and secondary schools be put under searchlight, to know those operating without government approval and monitoring".

"We will henceforth close such schools found within the State", he said.

The Chairman expressed government’s readiness to place public schools as favourable competitors with private schools, saying that government was working assiduously on provision of basic amenities needed by both teachers and students, across the State.

He stressed that the Gov. Seyi Makinde-led administration demands maximum cooperation from all stakeholders in the sector, while the government would commit every necessary resource in achieving quality education in the State.

He further pledged government’s commitment to returning schools’ grants and renovation of bad school infrastructures in schools.

The SUBEB Chairman and his team visited: People’s Primary School, Adeoyo, St. Williams School, Oke-Ado, AUD School, Foko, Islamic Primary School, Bode; St. David Primary School, Kudeti.

Other schools visited include, I.M.G Primary Schools, Orita-Aperin and Ode-Aje, Ikolaba Community Primary School; Methodist Primary School, Bodija, and Methodist Primary School, Mokola.