Gov Lawal Suspends Licenses Of Private Schools In Zamfara

The government of Zamfara State, led by Governor Dauda Lawal, has revoked the licenses of private education providers in the state.

Lawal made the disclosure himself yesterday during a statewide broadcast, lamenting the state of education in the state.

During the address, the state governor declared a state of emergency in the education sector, citing the sector’s alarming decline.

Lawal expressed regret for the neglect suffered by the education sector, which has affected all levels from primary to tertiary institutions in the state.

The governor emphasized that the implementation of a state of emergency in the education sector is in line with his commitment to the people, as it addresses the dire state of the sector that has almost completely deteriorated.

“This is in line with his campaign manifesto, where he made promises to the people of Zamfara to implement policies and programs aimed at reforming the education sector, building and rehabilitating public schools, providing adequate educational facilities, and training and retraining of the existing staff to enhance their capacity,” he said.

Governor Lawal said that his administration has already commenced the development and refurbishment of 245 schools spanning the 14 local government areas within the state. Furthermore, a total of 9,542 two-seater desks have been provided for the students in these schools, along with the provision of 619 tables and 926 chairs for the teachers in the newly constructed and renovated schools.

In addition to these efforts, the governor noted that all teachers and education managers will undergo specialized training and retraining in their respective subjects.

Speaking on the withdrawal of licenses, he said: “To maintain a minimum level of quality in education delivery, the government has suspended the licenses of private education providers in the state. This ensures that private schools meet the required standards for providing quality education.

“Furthermore, in pursuit of quality education, my government has approved sponsoring 50% of Zamfara State indigenes admitted into Federal Government Girls College Gusau for the 2023-2024 academic sessions.

“The State Government has paid the National Examination Council (NECO) fees for all Zamfara public school candidates who sat for the 2023 exams. Similarly, certificates for the candidates who sat for the 2019 NECO examinations have been collected and distributed to the students.

“The results of the NECO exams taken in 2020, 2021, and 2022 will be released to students before the end of this month. The results were previously withheld by the NECO due to non-payment by the previous administration. However, with our intervention, students who graduated during those years can now access their results and apply to different tertiary institutions for admission.

“The government is committed to changing the narrative of constant underperformance. Zamfara will thrive across all sectors. This is just the beginning of our rescue mission.”