12 private schools shut in 3 months over safety concern, Lagos Commissioner reveals
Ayodele Olalere
Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Tolani Alli-Balogun has revealed that 12 private schools in the state have been shut from January 2024 till date over safety issues.
While five were shut in January, seven were closed between March and April.
Alli-Balogun spoke on Thursday during the 2024 Ministerial Press Briefing. He said the state government has good rapport with private school owners.
“We go out to check private schools and if we see extreme cases we cant condone, we profiled the school and shut it down. We shut them down during holidays to avoid throwing the students to the street during academic session,” Alli-Balogun said.
He added that as at February 2024, 256 private schools have been approved by the Ministry, while 13,000 out-of-school children have been taking back to school.
In the area of cultism and bully in schools, the Commissioner lamented that parents have failed in instilling morals in their children, adding that the Ministry would organise a stakeholders meeting to discuss how to tackle cultism in public and private schools.
He, however noted that while bullying is not acceptable in Lagos public schools, there are no punishments for it.
“Bullying is not acceptable in Lagos schools but there are no punishments for it. Its about speaking to the parents to teach their children morals. We can’t afford to take children out of the school system.”
