Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Education has begun the arrest and prosecution of operators of unapproved private schools that violated the directives on closure issued earlier by the Ministry. The Honourable Commissioner for Education, Professor Ubong Essien Umoh, made this known during the Ministry’s routine monitoring exercise across the state.
According to the commissioner, while many owners of unauthorized private schools complied with the government’s directive and shut down operations, a few had gone ahead to unseal their school premises and continued academic activities against the rules. He stressed that such actions undermine government’s efforts to improve the quality of education in the state.
“The Ministry of Education wishes to reiterate its stance on the closure of unauthorized and rogue schools operating in Akwa Ibom State,” Professor Umoh said. He further explained that the enforcement exercise is not just a directive but a long-term measure to standardize educational delivery across communities in the state.
Parents and guardians in both urban and rural areas have been strongly advised not to enroll their children or wards in any private school that has not been duly registered or licensed by the Ministry of Education. Professor Umoh noted that the state-wide enforcement exercise will continue throughout the school year to ensure compliance with approved standards and to rid the education system of substandard institutions that compromise the future of children in Akwa Ibom State.