662 schools shut in Delta

Delta State Government has shut down 662 private primary
and secondary schools, which were allegedly operating illegally in the state. 

Briefing journalists on Tuesday at the mid- term report of the Basic and Secondary Education Ministry, the Commissioner, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare said the action was necessitated by the new policy direction of the state government, which he said was geared towards providing qualitative education at the cradle. 

According to the commissioner, the affected schools were built below the set standards, and in most cases, they were set up in very unconducive learning environment. He said while some were operating in ramshackle buildings, some shared buildings with churches, hotels, private residences and other business concerns. 

Muoboghare also announced that the state government had returned 41 missionary secondary schools to the original owners, saying the government paid N5m each as compensatory take off grant to the respective missions. 

"It is worthy of note that the essence of the handing over is to ginger the spirit of healthy competition among school age children in both public and private schools in the state. Government has come to acknowledge that the missions and original owners were better managers of these schools," the commissioner said.