Delta State government at the weekend uncovered 600 illegal private schools across the state, even as it sacked eight secondary school teachers for alleged extortion and other related acts of misdemeanour.
The state commissioner for Basic and secondary school education, Professor Patrick Muoboghare, who confirmed this to journalists in Asaba, disclosed that the illegal schools were uncovered by the education ministry in the course of its x-ray of existing schools in the state.He added that the x-ray of existing schools was carried out under the first phase of the ministry’s surveillance which aimed at establishing the exact operational and official status of the institutions.
He said that following the shocking revelation, the ministry decided to take effective measures to notify the public of the schools, and stressed that on further findings, it was observed that the illegal schools were not registered by the ministry as stipulated by law and have been operating all forms of illegalities, especially during NECO/WAEC Examinations.
According to him, the ministry would soon mount its campaigns on the issue in the mass media, as part of its efforts to enlighten the public on the dangers inherent in dealing with such illegal schools, many of which he added, had become ransacked.
The commissioner said that the battle against illegal schools remained critical element in the efforts of the government to raise the standard of academics including discipline in the educational sector across the state. LEADERSHIP checks revealed that many schools operate at every nook and cranny across the state, especially in Asaba where the operators register unsuspecting students for NECO/WACE Examination under high cost including the use of mercenaries.
Source: Leadership