Lagos approves 101 private schools, warns against unqualified teachers
The Lagos State Government has granted provisional approval to 101 private schools, reaffirming its commitment to quality education, child protection and stricter regulatory oversight across the state.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, announced this on Thursday during the presentation of approval letters to the schools at the NUT Pavilion, Alausa, Ikeja. He described private school proprietors as strategic partners in education development and urged them to comply with the Lagos State Education Law, the Child Rights Act and other relevant regulations.
Alli-Balogun called on school owners to invest in facilities, engage qualified teachers and maintain professional standards. He also warned against concealing cases of child abuse, molestation and bullying, directing proprietors to report such incidents promptly to the appropriate authorities or risk sanctions.
The commissioner said the government would continue to monitor schools through the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), while providing guidance to help them meet regulatory requirements and improve educational standards.
The Director-General of OEQA, Sulaimon Olagoke Ogunmuyiwa, said the 101 schools comprised 63 nursery and primary schools, 35 secondary schools, two sixth-form schools and one boarding school. He added that the approval process was designed to support genuine proprietors while ensuring that schools met the required standards for effective teaching and learning.
Ogunmuyiwa announced the introduction of QR codes on provisional approval letters to enable verification and prevent the circulation of counterfeit documents. He also disclosed that an automated school registration and approval system had been developed and was awaiting the governor’s approval. The proposed platform would allow online applications, document submission and tracking of application progress.
The Director of Schools Standard and Evaluation at OEQA, Amos Fajobi, urged the newly approved schools to begin the Subject Recognition Inspection (SRI) process, explaining that provisional approval did not automatically qualify a school to serve as an external examination centre. He said inspection reports would be forwarded to the West African Examinations Council, the National Examinations Council and the Lagos State Examinations Board for consideration.
Fajobi encouraged proprietors to complete the inspection process before December, noting that it could be concluded within two weeks if schools met the requirements.
