The Benue Government said it had closed down 2,424 primary, secondary and tertiary schools operating illegally in the state.
The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, told journalists in Makurdi on Tuesday that the schools were not duly certified by the relevant government authorities.
Ityavyar said that those affected were 1975 nursery/primary, 433 secondary and 14 post-secondary schools located in the 23 local government areas of the state
“Illegal schools in our context refer to schools that have not been duly certified by the Ministry of Education or have not obtained operational approval for establishment.
“That is, they are yet to obtain phases two and three approvals as in case of primary and secondary schools. The tertiary institutions are those without approval of NBTE or NCCE as the case may be,” he said.
The commissioner attributed the falling standard of education in the state to existence of illegal schools whose products were “unable to read and write after secondary education’’.
He said that the situation gave rise to massive examination malpractice in schools, adding that it had also affected the state ranking on WAEC chart.
Ityavyar said that the closure of the illegal schools was borne out of government’s resolve to improve the standard and quality of education in the state.
“We cannot toy with the future of our youths by giving them poor education.
“This is a major step to actualise the vision of Gov. Sam Ortom at promoting qualitative education and securing a future for the Benue child,” the commissioner said.
He said that the action was not to witch hunt anybody or organisation in the state but to purge the education system of illegalities and raise the standard of education.
According to him, the action was in the collective interest of the Benue people.
“How can we guarantee the future of our children whose characters are modelled by un-trained and un-qualified teachers?
“How can somebody operate a school in a garage in his or her residential house and we take our children there and call it school?”, he said.
Ityavyar further urged parents and guardians of children and wards in the affected schools to ensure that they are placed in approved schools before the resumption of 2017/18 academic session.
He commended missionaries for their contributions to the development of education in the state. (NAN)