FCTA renews clampdown on substandard schools

… 2 Private schools closed in AMAC

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), through its Education Secretariat has reinvigorated strategic clampdown on defaulting and substandard schools operating in unconducive environment and faulty physical structure among others, in Abuja, the nation’s capital city

The FCTA explained that the tough measure aims at ensuring that schools operating in the Territory strictly strictly to the extant minimum standard of quality teaching and learning system.

To this end, the Department of Quality Assurance of Education Secretariat with the Education Management Team led by the Mandate Secretary, Dr. Danlami Hayyo kicked off the exercise Tuesday, with the closure of two suspected substandard private schools namely Erudite Bright kids at Kagini and Jane’s Angela at Gwarinpa, all within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC Area Council respectively.

Hayyo noted that the action 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 reinforcing compliance to the requirements of establishment of Schools and minimum standard as stipulated in the operational guidelines for schools.

He reiterated that no school should be allowed to operate in the FCT without due registration, payment of dues and obtaining the necessary requirements.

He added that education cannot be toiled with, which is why 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 global competitive academic environment.

He therefore called on the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools ( NAPPS) to create adequate awareness for their members to key into the FCTA educational policies and partner with the Sector for a robust engagement in the delivery of quality educational services to the teeming residents.

He frowned at the attitude put up by some of the proprietors when evaluators and inspectors visit to their schools, by denying them access.

On her part, the Director, Department of Quality Assurance,
Dr. Favour Nse-Edem said the schools sealed off had in all ramifications failed to satisfy the conditions of establishment of regular schools, as there was no records of their existence, yet they have been operating for years even operating under power high tension wire.

Nse-Edem noted that the school closure is a very important core mandate of the Department, which it has continued to meet up with the herculean task of ensuring both public and private schools operating in the Territory are duly accredited and registered while adhering to the operational guidelines.

According to her, the exercise commenced in earnest has the full approval of the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike.

She explained further that the Department prior to this exercise, has created awareness through public announcements in various media organizations on the need to complied with it’s operational guidelines and provide quality educational service.

She said the Department has continued to advise the erring schools on what is expected of them, but the operators have continued to ignore such professional advice from quality assurance evaluators

The Director however, declared that the Department will continue to intensify its efforts towards actualizing holistic academic activities of regular school evaluation.