Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State for Education, has said that the Federal Government would work very closely with states and local governments towards closing down secondary schools found to be sub-standard.
Nwajiuba, in a statement signed by Ben Bem-Goong, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations Unit in the ministry, said that such “mushroom” schools would not be allowed to operate.
The minister said that the National Secondary Education Commission (NSEC), which is billed to take off soon, is part of steps and institutional preparations towards the crackdown.
According to him, the NSEC will work closely with relevant stakeholders to tighten the noose on operators of such mushroom secondary schools.
“As much as government is doing everything humanly possible to bring every child of school age on board, quality and standard must not be sacrificed.
“The Federal Ministry of Education will present a memo on standardisation and quality assurance for secondary schools at the next National Council on Education slated for Nov. 4th to 8th.
“The memo will also be presented to the Joint Consultative Committee on Education (JCCE)’’, he said.
Nwajiuba acknowledged that education was on the concurrent list and appealed to states, local governments and private schools’ owners to take the issue of standard in the nation’s schools seriously.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Malam Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education, sponsored a bill for the establishment of NSEC which the President signed into law in May.