Anambra: Govt To Shut Down Over 2000 Illegal Schools

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Anambra State Government has decried the proliferation of illegal and substandard educational institutions in the State .

The authorities fear that over 2000 of such unaccredited and unregistered schools dot the system across the 21 local councils of the State .

A statement issued on Thursday September, 12, 2024, by the Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu, warned that effective, September 17, the resumption date for the new academic session, any schools that  fail to be duly accredited and registered by the relevant supervisory organs will be shut  down.

He noted that the Anambra State Government will no longer condone a situation whereby schools are operated without recourse to due standard.

According to the Commissioner, allowing such avalanche of unregistered and unaccredited schools to be operating amounts to compromising the standard of education, and endangering the future of the  children of the State.

Sir Nwosu insisted that any of the identified 2000 schools currently operating without accreditation and approvals that fail to meet the dateline for the normalization of their operations will be closed down before the commencement of the 2024/2025 academic session.

The statement said the Anambra State Government is concerned that such schools operating without accreditation and approvals, will never be in  alignment with the set standards by the Ministry of Education.

“The Government of Anambra State is concerned that about 2000 unaccredited/ unapproved schools are operating across the 21 Local Government Areas of the State.

“This is unacceptable, given the priority, that Governor Chukwuma Soludo, a first  class academic himself, has accorded quality education.

“Setting up and running a school without requisite accreditation and approvals is an indication that the school is not operating in accordance with the standards set by the Government through the Ministry of Education.

“The Government is of the view that our children, irrespective of their location in Anambra State deserve the best learning environment, teachers and curriculum” Nwosu stated.

He said that the affected schools have been issued with final warnings to either get their institutions accredited and approved, or risk closure, and other punishments deemed necessary.