INVESTIGATION: 1000 ILLEGAL SCHOOLS DISCOVERED
IN PLATEAU
Private individuals in Plateau just
like other states have ventured into the ownership and administration of
schools in an attempt to bridge the yawning gap. However, it is unfortunate
that most of these private schools are not registered with the appropriate
authority and do not meet the required standard following our investigation
within the state.
By Emmanuel Atabat
This structure at Ali Kazaure, Jos north could be passed for
a local garage. However, it is a structure that accommodates pupils. The female
pupils were wearing the Muslim hijap. Their teacher was a lanky man in his
early 40s. Our man could not really comprehend the message the teacher was
passing on to the pupils. He also noticed some interruptions intermittently by
some co- tenants of the building as the supposed classroom was the only passage
to other rooms upstairs. Our reporter was able to talk to the teacher who gave
his name as Abdulwaheed.
He said he was a Grade II teacher and was employed to teach
in the nursery school on a monthly salary of four thousand naira (N4 000). He
said there were three of them in the school as teachers, including the
proprietor. Our man asked him if the school was registered with the appropriate
authority, but Abdulwaheed said it was only the proprietor that could answer
that question. However, all efforts by our reporter to see the proprietor
proved abortive.
It was a similar story when our reporter visited another
area that had about three sets of classrooms with staff strength of eight (8)
people including the proprietor, teaching and administrative staff. The student
population was almost 80. It was found out to be a primary school where pupils
paid between N4,000 and N9,000 per term.
Our correspondent was confronted with yet another structure
accommodating supposedly secondary school students. It was a four bedroom
bungalow with additional room attached, built with planks. The rooms in the
main bungalow accommodated the students, while the other structures were for
supporting staff including the principal, as we learnt it was a junior
secondary school.
Ventilation was inadequate as the said structure was located
in-between other buildings. The only toilet in the building was for the
principal and other staff, while students had to visit the stream close to the
school for convenience. Our reporter was able to talk to one of the teachers
who simply gave his name as Lawrence and also claimed to be an NCE holder.
He further told our man that his monthly take home pay was
N8,000.00. Our investigation further showed that students in the school paid
between N11,000 and N18,000 per term. We also learnt that extra charges are
paid for extra lessons after official school hours and the money realized is shared
between the proprietor and the teacher of a particular subject.
All the above results were obtained from schools operating
in Jos North local government. Our survey further shows similar experience in
other local government areas of the state. In all, our investigation shows that
there are over 1,000 illegal schools in Plateau State with more than 65% per
cent of this number coming from Jos North and South LGAs respectively. Areas
like AngwanRogo, AngwanRimi, Rikkos, NasarawaGwom Rukuba road, DadinKowa,
Rikkos, and Bauchi Road have the highest concentration of illegal schools in
Plateau state according to our findings.
Probably, it was in realization of this that the Plateau
State Ministry of Education under the immediate past government in the state set
up a committee to identify illegal schools in the state. After almost one year
of intensive work, this magazine learnt that the committee concluded its work.
We further learnt that the list of illegal schools was compiled and submitted
to then Commissioner of Education and that a joint task force comprising of
officials from the Ministry of Education, Plateau Board of Internal Revenue
Service and the Special Task Force on Revenue was constituted to begin a
clampdown on illegal schools. However, it is not known if the current
administration is continuing from where the last one stopped.
A source in the Ministry of Education headquarters in Jos
who wouldn't want his name in print said all private schools must register with
the appropriate authority adding that a standard school is that school that has
been built on a 2.5 hectares of land with at least a minimum of 4 blocks of
classrooms measuring 12m in height 9m
length and 4m width. This arrangement according to our source would be
an ideal environment necessary for the upbringing of a child.
According to him, the classroom would have to be built and
arranged in such a manner that guarantees ventilation. Also, building on 2.5
hectares will guarantee the erection of other structures including sporting
facilities that will enhance total development of a child.
Some stakeholders spoke to African Drum on the issue.
According to Haruna Babayo an educationist in Jos North. “Well, to me, a
standard must be set and compiled with which is good. But from what you just spelt
out as the standard set out by the Ministry of Education, and if it is to be
strictly adhered to, you would have no more than 500 schools in Plateau State,
and I mean it”.
Bala Mwansat said that the government of Plateau State
should feel challenged because despite the declaration of State of Emergence on
education sector during the previous administration, some primary school pupils
and secondary school students are being taught under trees, a situation that
has the capacity of producing half-baked students.
However, some stake holders said it is wishful thinking to
assume that the operators of the alleged illegal school would close shop when
the state government is not providing an alternative. According to them, as the
population continues to spiral, the demand for education will continue to
increase and the people would be left with no choice than to patronize what is
available and affordable. All efforts to speak to the Commissioner of education
Hon Joseph A Mairiga proved abortive as he did not pick series of calls put
through his cell phone by our man.
Post a Comment