Kabiru Musa & Odugbo Sarah
In a bid to continue to ensure that Schools operating in the Federal Capital Territory adhere strictly to the minimum standard and quality teaching and learning system, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has close down two private schools in Abuja.
The Department of Quality Assurance of Education Secretariat led by the Secretary, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, undertook the official closure of the two substandard private schools.
The affected schools are Erudite Bright kids at Kagini and Jane’s Angela at AMAC Area Council respectively.
Inspecting the Exercise with his Management Team, the Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, said this is in line with the mandate of the Department of Quality Assurance which is charged with the core responsibility of proper accreditation of schools, monitoring and inspection to ensure quality Educational service as well as compliance to the requirements of establishment of Schools and enforcement of minimum standard as stipulated in the operational guidelines for Schools.
He said in a normal situation, no School should be allowed to operate in the FCT without due registration, payment of dues and obtaining the necessary requirements.
The Education Secretary said Education can not be toiled with and the Secretariat through the Department of Quality Assurance is determined to sanitize the system for a better teaching and learning process while intensifying its efforts to ensure FCT Schools continue to compete favourably in globally competitive academic environment.
Hayyo called on the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools ( NAPPS) to create adequate awareness for their members to key into the Administration Educational policies and partner with the Sector for a robust engagement in the delivery of quality Educational services to it’s teeming residents.
He frowned at the attitude put up by some of the Proprietors when Evaluators and Inspectors come to their Schools denying them access.
In her explaination, the Director, Department of Quality Assurance,
Dr. Favour Nse-Edem, said the School Closure is a very important core mandate of the Department and since inception, the Department has continued to meet up with the herculean task of ensuring both public and private schools operating in the Territory are in line with the requirements of not only establishing Schools but are duly accredited and registered while adhere to the operational guidelines.
She said, the official Exercise for the school closure in FCT has the full approval of the FCT Minister and has commenced in earnest.
She explained that the Department prior to this Exercise has created awareness through public announcements in various media organizations on the needs to comply with its operational guidelines and provide quality Educational service.
Nse -Edem said that the Public Announcement serves as warning signal to defaulting and substandard schools operating in unconducive enviroment with health hazards to the students as well as operating in faulty physical structure among others.
She stated that the Department has continued to advise the schools on what is expected of them but have continued to ignore such professional advice of Quality Assurance Evaluators .
The Director expressed her displeasure towards their activities that is against the FCT Operational guidelines; adding that the Department will continue to intensify its efforts towards actualizing holistic academic activities of regular school evaluation.
She stressed that the Schools sealed have in all ramifications failed to satisfy the conditions of establishment of regular Schools as no records of their existence yet they have been operating for years even operating under high tension electricity cable.
Nse-Edem thanked the Secretary and the Education Management Team for leading this all important event.
