By JET STANLEY MADU
The Director General, Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo has warned private school operators to desist from flouting the rules.
The head of the quality assurance office, who sounded this note of warning in Lagos, stated that school operators whose licenses were revoked and their schools shut down, but go ahead to remove closure and revocation notices are contravening the law and would be sanctioned.
She reminded culprits that “such acts would attract strict sanctions and prosecution by the state government”.
The DG who spoke during an enforcement drive embarked by her office in the six education districts in the state, explained that the effort to sanitize schools was to ensure quality teaching and learning in conducive, healthy and secured school environment for pupils.
She reiterated that the state government is commitment to delivering quality education at all levels, even in the privately-owned schools.
According to her, in the quest to rid Lagos of sub-standard schools and enhance quality in the state education sector, the state government would ensure that teaching and learning are conducted in conducive and secure environment through zero tolerance for substandard schools in the state.
The quality assurance boss disclosed that the enforcement is to ensure strict compliance to the Ministry of Education approved guidelines.
She reiterated the state government’s commitment to preparing future leaders educationally and insisted that conducive and standardized environment, quality teaching and learning, monitoring and evaluation of schools, safety and child protection practice remain the prerequisite for approval of schools in the state.
Soyombo stated that the state government frowns at the operation of schools within residential building for security reasons to make sure that there are adequate classrooms.
Also, the DG pointed out that, “The vision of OEQA is strictly to continue to set the pace for educational excellence with integrity, transparency and mutual respect in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities.”