The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has closed two private schools for operating below the minimum standard in the FCT.
The affected schools are Erudite Bright Kids in Kagini and Jane’s Angela School in the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
The schools were closed during an operation to shut down all substandard schools operating in the FCT.
The Mandate Secretary of the Education Secretariat, FCTA, Dr Danlami Hayyo, who led the team in Abuja on Wednesday, explained that the measure was to ensure the quality of teaching and learning in FCT schools.
Hayyo said that the move was in line with the mandate of the Department of Quality Assurance charged with the core responsibility of proper accreditation of schools, monitoring, and inspection.
This, according to him, is to ensure quality educational services, compliance with the requirements for the establishment of schools, and the enforcement of minimum standards as stipulated in the operational guidelines for schools.
“In a normal situation, no school should be allowed to operate in the FCT without proper registration, payment of dues, and obtaining the necessary requirements.
“The secretariat through the Department of Quality Assurance is determined to sanitize the system for a better teaching and learning process.
“We will also intensify our efforts to ensure FCT schools compete favourably in the global education space,” he said.
He called on the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) to enlighten their members on minimum standards and the need to adhere to FCT Administration educational policies.
Hayyo also called for a robust partnership between the private sector and the government in the delivery of quality educational services to the teeming residents of the FCT.
The mandate secretary also frowned at the attitude of some school proprietors who denied evaluators and inspectors access to school premises.
On her part, the Director of the Department of Quality Assurance, Dr Favour Nse-Edem, explained that the sealed schools failed to satisfy the conditions for the establishment of regular schools.
Nse-Edem added that there were no records of their existence and had been operating for years, adding that the closure was crucial to maintaining standards in schools.
She said that the department would continue to ensure that both public and private schools operate within the expected standards.
She added that all schools must operate in line with the minimum requirements, be duly accredited and registered, and adhere to operational guidelines.
The director said that the closure exercise was with the approval of the Minister of FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
She explained that the department had created awareness through public announcements in various media organizations on the need to comply with operational guidelines to provide quality educational services.
The director said that the announcement served as a warning signal to defaulting and substandard schools operating in an unconducive environment.
“Other schools are operating in an environment that predisposes students to health hazards and those operating in faulty physical structures, among others.
“The department has continued to advise the school owners on what is expected of them but they have continued to ignore such professional advice from quality assurance evaluators,” he said.
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