Borno Gov Orders Quality Assessment of Private Schools

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has ordered officials to assess the quality of all private primary and secondary schools in Borno State.

According to the governor, the directive is aimed at identifying schools that only exploit parents and guardians without the capacity to impart knowledge to students.

Zulum gave the directive on Monday January 4, 2021, in response to the recommendation of a keynote speaker, Alhaji Mohammed Adam, at the commissioning of Ansar Academy in Maiduguri.

Adam had called the government’s attention to the existence of substandard private schools operating in the state.

“I have keenly listened to the keynote address by my brother, Mohammed Adam, and I was attracted to some issues he raised. One of which is a reminder that our responsibility to monitor the quality of private schools, not just public schools.

“In that regard, I have directed the secretary to the state government to notify the State Universal Basic Education Board Chairman, Dr Shettima Kullima, to deploy officials to examine the capacity of all private schools,” the governor said.

“The Board is given six months within which their officials will visit all schools to examine physical infrastructures, quality and availability of teachers, and other relevant records. The board will make recommendations to the government of Borno State,” he added.

“We will do our best to ensure the improvement of standards but where necessary, quack schools that are beyond upgrade will be closed. While we are making modest efforts in uplifting the standard of education in our public schools, we shall also be very mindful of the operations of private schools in the state. It is our responsibility to ensure the quality of education in the state,” Zulum said.