The Abia State Government has announced the closure of seven private schools in Aba for allegedly operating illegally and in an unfriendly environment.

This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the state Commissioner for Basic Education, Emma Ukwu.

Ukwu listed the schools to include Bethesda House International School, 42 Owerri Road off Okigwe Road Aba; Lily Brains International School, 57 Erondu Street, Aba; and Conquering Ground international School, 35 7up Road Ogbor Hill Aba.

Others are the Presbyterian Academy, 35 Glass industry Extension, 7up Area Ogbor Hill, Aba; Shade of Mercy International School, Fruitful Ground Christian School, Aba; and His Mercies Christian Academy, St Eugene Road Aba.

The commissioner urged the parents and guardians of pupils of the shut schools to immediately withdraw their children from those schools, saying sabotaging the order by the proprietors of closed schools would earn such persons blacklisting in educational circles in Abia State.

He stated that defaulting school proprietors might also be prosecuted, urging every resident to rid the state of the cankerworm of quack schools.

Ukwu further directed the closure of all private schools operating illegally in the state.

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The commissioner said the decision followed Abia State Government’s resolve to sanitise the education sector through ensuring proper establishment and running of schools.

He said for a school to operate in Abia State, the proprietors of such schools must guarantee enabling teaching and learning environment and proper certification.

Ukwu said the government observed with dismay that some individuals were running schools without obtaining requisite approval from the commissioner’s office.

He noted that henceforth, approvals obtained but later compromised through lowering of standards would be automatically withdrawn.

The commissioner, however, directed all genuine proprietors to display copies of approval instruments publicly and show original copies to education ministry officials on demand.

Ukwu advised every school, as a matter of urgency, to cue into the electronic portal of the ministry for authentication and easy operations.

He noted that the ministry would no more allow half measures, saying it would continue to clampdown on erring schools.

The Star