From Olukayode Idowu, Maiduguri
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum has directed officials of the state ministry of education to ensure that quack schools are brought to book.
He said he won’t stand to see parents and guardians exploited by private primary and secondary schools who are without the capacity to impact knowledge on students, asking inspectors from the ministry to pay visits and assess the quality of all private schools in the state with a view to identifying quack schools.
Zulum gave the directive in response to the recommendation of a keynote speaker, Alhaji Mohammed Adam, at the commissioning of Ansar Academy on Monday in Maiduguri. Adam had called government’s attention to the existence of quack private schools operating in the state.
The governor in his reaction, said: “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 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 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. We will do our best to ensure improvement of standards but where necessary, quack schools that are beyond upgrade shall 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.”
The governor thereafter commissioned Ansar Academy, a newly established private primary and secondary school in Maiduguri.
He also commissioned Al-Ansar Radio station also in Maiduguri.
Both the school and radio were established by Al-Ansar foundation, a non- profit organisation founded by a retired federal permanent secretary, Dr. Muhammad Dikwa.
Dikwa who is President of the foundation, applauded Governor Zulum’s style of governance which he said, encouraged him to mobilize resources in contributing to Borno’s educational development.
He said: “Given the unprecedented achievements recorded under His Excellency’s leadership in the last one and half year, we considered it our task to mobilize friends, well wishers as well as investors to come over to Borno and invest for the betterment of our society.
“Your Excellency, you have done well, you have made us proud, we the indigenes of Borno State are proud of you, may Almighty Allah continue to shower his blessings, guide and protect you as you stir the affairs of the state.”