Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has revoked the licences of private schools in the state for violating the rules and guidelines set for their establishment and operation.
According to him, the schools must strictly comply with laid down “rules and regulations” before re-applying for new licences from the government.
Buni, who spoke through the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Muhammad Sani Idriss, yesterday, in Damaturu, stated that “henceforth, activities of all private schools in the state will tally with that of public schools.”
While addressing proprietors of private schools at Government Girls College, Damaturu, Idriss stated that “no private school will operate without a licence,” adding that the era of taking shortcuts to register private schools was over.
He said the measure was taken to enable the state government to have absolute control of the education system.
The commissioner frowned at the policies of some private schools in the state, saying they “violated the norms and values of the people of the state.”
He also added that private schools in the state would henceforth operate in consonance with government-owned schools.
His words: “We have revoked the licences of the affected schools. This will enable them to renew their licences to operate in any part of the state. The licences were revoked because the proprietors of the schools failed to meet up with the standards set for running private schools.
“If you must operate a private school in the state, you must play the game by its rules. That is why we decided to scrap and cancel all your licences of operations. We are saying that you should re-apply within 30 days to reclaim the licence to operate.
“Any private school that is not licenced and is not ready to play the game by its rules will be sanctioned,” he warned.
Also speaking, Yobe State House Committee Chairman on Education and member representing Damagum Constituency, Maina Digma Gana, stated that the legislators would support any move towards imparting standard education to forthcoming generations in the state.
