The Chairman of the Nigerian National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, Mr. Sunday Adafe-Jaja, has called on prospective school owners to strictly follow established guidelines and obtain all necessary approvals before opening new institutions.
Mr Adafe-Jaja, in an interview with our correspondent, warned that the unchecked spread of unapproved private primary and secondary schools threatens the quality of education across Nigeria.
He urged the government to strengthen the country’s economy and create more job opportunities, noting that poor economic conditions contribute to the rise of substandard schools.
“Not just to wake up one morning and want to open a school, ask questions first, visit the Ministry of Education and obtain all the requirements. If you can actually look at it with me, you will find out that unemployment is the most stated cause of this polarisation,” he stated.
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Mr. Adafe-Jaja also emphasised the need for better funding and support for the Ministry of Education to enable it to carry out effective oversight.
“If you go the their offices, you will weep for them, they don’t even have a better place to even lay their heads, I am saying that if that department is properly sponsored and empowered, they will know their responsibilities, that is to maintain quality and standard education”, he added.
The NAPPS chairman further appealed to authorities to formally partner with NAPPS so the association can assist in monitoring standards and curbing the activities of unqualified operators in the sector.
