…75 Proprietors Receive Provisional Approval Certificates
The Lagos State Government has cautioned newly approved private school owners to uphold high standards of discipline, curriculum delivery, and compliance with state educational regulations.
This charge was given on Thursday by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, during the official presentation of Provisional Approval Certificates to 75 private school operators at the NUT Pavilion, Alausa, Ikeja.
Alli-Balogun noted that the approvals were granted only after a rigorous accreditation exercise, which assessed infrastructure, curriculum, safety, and staff quality. He stressed that the move forms part of government efforts to sanitize the education sector and strengthen quality learning outcomes across Lagos.
“Approval is a seal of trust and responsibility. It means you have met the minimum requirements, but it is not a license for complacency. Your schools must reflect the values of safety, discipline, and excellence in teaching,” the Commissioner said.
He further urged proprietors to employ only teachers certified by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and ensure strict adherence to government policies.
‘Approval is Responsibility, Not Decoration’
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Abisola Dokunmu-Adegbite, congratulated the new school owners but warned that their operations must align with Lagos State’s vision for innovation, inclusiveness, and global competitiveness. She emphasized that approval certificates should not be seen as documents to decorate offices but as instruments of accountability covering infrastructure, governance, child protection, and learner safety.
OEQA’s Role and Sector Data
Giving a breakdown of approvals, the Coordinating Director of the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), Mr. Remi Abdul, disclosed that 292 schools were approved in 2024, while 70 schools were cleared in February 2025. With the latest batch of 75, a total of 145 schools have been approved this year alone.
He outlined the benefits of approval, including government recognition, eligibility to register students for external examinations like WAEC and NECO, access to capacity-building programmes, and inclusion in the State’s Education Management Information System (EMIS).
Mr. Abdul also announced an upcoming state-wide enumeration of private schools, describing it as critical to building a robust education database that will guide interventions in infrastructure, teacher supply, and examination logistics. He cautioned proprietors against transferring approvals without OEQA authorization and noted that schools intending to operate hostels must apply separately.
Presentation Ceremony
The highlight of the event was the formal handover of provisional approval certificates by the Commissioner, alongside the Coordinating Director of OEQA, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Opeyemi Eniola, representatives of SUBEB, and the Lagos State Examinations Board.