Education: Zamfara gov’t screens 242 private schools

The Zamfara government has certified 123 private schools to pass the minimum operational teaching and learning standard test for children in the state.

The state government had identified 508 schools operating under private ownership, and 242 were tested in various areas to ensure compliance with the state’s minimum learning and teaching standards for kids.

Hajiya Kulu Na’ala, Chairperson, Committee for Enforcement of Minimum Standard and Regulatory Compliance of the Private Schools, said this during the presentation of the committee’s report yesterday in Gusau.

She said that part of the mandate of the committee was to ensure that private schools meet the minimum conditions for safe, lawful and quality operation in line with the state government’s policy on education.

Na’ala said that 242 out of the 508 identified schools were assessed; 123 were rated good, and 119 were rated fair or poor.

She said that the committee recorded significant achievements during the assessment exercise, including the recovery of N23 million tax liabilities and payment to the Zamfara State Internal Revenue Service.

The chairlady said that proprietors were trained to generate tax invoices and use electronic payment channels to reduce revenue leakage, as well as the deployment of a standardised digital assessment instrument with school grading and operational level recommendations completed.

Na’ala said that the committee also established a comprehensive database of private schools for future exercises, to improve awareness on minimum standards, child protection, quality assurance, and documentation.

She identified lack of extant law to regulate private schools as a major challenge towards ensuring effective regulations in the state.