Society
Ondo Okays Textbook Re-Use In Schools, Bans Graduation For Nursery & JSS3
would re-accredit all private schools for quality assurance
The Ondo state government has announced new measures to regulate the operations of private schools, including the approval of textbook re-use in secondary schools and a ban on graduation ceremonies for nursery and JSS 3 pupils.
Igbekele Ajibefun, commissioner for education, science and technology, disclosed the policies at a meeting with proprietors and proprietresses of private schools across the 18 local government areas of the state.
Ajibefun said the ministry would re-accredit all private schools for quality assurance while unregistered schools have been given a six-month grace period to obtain approval.
He added that new conditions for approval would soon be released to make the process less cumbersome.
“When you run an unapproved school, you are running an illegal business. This administration will not allow illegalities, and that is the reason we are reviewing the process. In the next couple of weeks, the new conditions will be rolled out,” he said.
The commissioner also directed schools to strictly adhere to the approved curriculum, official school calendar, and recommended textbooks, warning that the use of foreign or unapproved curricula would no longer be tolerated.
He further cautioned against underage admissions, compulsory extra lessons, and excursions without clearance from the ministry.
Ajibefun said the government decided to approve the re-use of textbooks to reduce the financial burden on parents, noting that siblings of students would now be allowed to use the same textbooks over a period of time.
On graduation ceremonies, he said the government had outlawed elaborate events for non-exit classes such as nursery and JSS 3, stressing that the practice had become unnecessary and exploitative.
The commissioner added that plans were underway to digitise all schools in the state and migrate pupils and students to the ministry’s digital learning platform. He said schools that fail to meet minimum standards would be shut down.
Representatives of private schools at the meeting commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for appointing a professor to oversee the education ministry, while calling for more time to meet accreditation requirements and a reduction in bureaucratic bottlenecks.
