NAN-H-43
Schools
Jos, May 25, 2017(NAN) Proprietors of private schools in Plateau have advised the state government to close down those considered to be below minimum standards.
Mr Ezekiel Sabo, President of the state’s chapter of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), gave the advice on Thursday in Jos, in a speech at an educational summit organised by the association.
“The influx of mushroom schools is threatening efforts toward quality education. Government should carry out a critical assessment and close down those not qualified to deliver quality knowledge,” he said.
He regretted that many private schools lacked basic tools necessary for teaching and learning, saying that such schools would compromise quality if left to continue.
Sabo said that NAPSS had reached a consensus with the Plateau government towards harmonising levies in private and public schools so as to eliminate the wide gap and reduce the financial burden of parents.
The official advised proprietors to work out good welfare packages for their teachers to motivate them to discharge their duties diligently.
“Teachers must be motivated to discharge their duties diligently. Motivation may not necessarily be in the area of capacity building. Teachers deserve commendations when they do well.
“The school management could also provide scholarship to their children,” he added.
Sabo said that 1,500 persons were participating in the summit organised by the North-Central zone of NAPSS, to discuss challenges facing the education sector in the geopolitical zone.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), Mr Da-Silva Johnson, Secretary, North-Central Secretary zone of NAPPS, urged governments at all levels to provide incentives to private schools.
“As private owners of schools, we are rendering services to the government because every Nigerian child is a property of government.
“Incentives like learning materials and laboratory apparatus will augment our efforts,” he said.
A participant, Mr Lasing Bindul, said that the challenges of operating private schools in Plateau were “very enormous”, and identified heavy taxes as the biggest burden.
The theme of the two-day summit is “Rethinking Education in Northern Nigeria: Private Schools and the Quest for Sustainable Development Goals”. (NAN)
MAA/ETS
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Edited by Ephraims Sheyin