Akwa Ibom Govt Shuts Illegal Private Schools Over Safety, Quality Concerns

The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Education has launched a clampdown on private schools operating without official approval, in a decisive move to standardize education and protect the welfare of children in the state.

Commissioner for Education, Ubong Essien Umoh, who disclosed the enforcement exercise on his official LinkedIn page, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to upholding standards and safeguarding students.

Leading a team of senior officials—including the Permanent Secretary, Directors, Zonal Directors, the Special Assistant on Education Monitoring, and Local Government Supervisors of Education—Commissioner Umoh inspected several schools in Uyo and Nsit Ibom Local Government Areas.

During the exercise, he condemned the unauthorized establishment of schools without the Ministry’s Authority to Operate (ATO). He criticized the rising trend of converting makeshift structures, abandoned buildings, town halls, and residential apartments into learning centres. Some schools licensed for nursery education had unlawfully expanded to primary and secondary levels without approval.

The inspection uncovered disturbing conditions, including:

1. Overcrowded classrooms with multiple classes sharing one blackboard.

2. Structures built over septic tanks.

3. Classrooms crudely partitioned into cubicles with poor sanitary facilities.


“These practices are deeply troubling,” the Commissioner stressed, warning proprietors to immediately regularize their operations by securing the necessary documentation.

He also cautioned parents and guardians against enrolling their children in unregistered schools, urging them to prioritize their wards’ safety and educational quality.

“As we begin this new academic year, the Ministry will intensify enforcement across the state to identify and close all unauthorized schools to protect the quality of education and the safety of our children,” Umoh said.

Among the schools shut down were Gracious Steps Royal Academy, Toppers Academy, Houston International Schools, Purple Hills Schools, Sparkling Height Schools, Beloved Child of God International School, Glorious Future Academy, Spring Success International School, and Marcus Garvey Drillers Foundation Schools.

The Ministry’s renewed vigilance, officials said, underscores the government’s firm commitment to ensuring every child in Akwa Ibom learns in a safe, regulated, and conducive environment.


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