The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, on Thursday said that over 7,000 private schools in the state were not registered with the ministry of education, meaning many were operating illegally.

Adebule spoke at the Stakeholders Meeting with Proprietors and Owners of Private Schools organised by the Office of Education Quality Assurance of the Lagos State Ministry of Education.

She decried the high rate of illegal operation of private schools in the state.

“Statistics show that we have over 11, 000 private schools in the state, but only 4, 000 are registered with the ministry of education, meaning that many are operating illegally.

“Many private schools do not employ qualified teachers and school administrators and at the end, students’ outcome and performances will be negatively affected.

“Right now we are dealing with the cases of 25 schools sanctioned by WAEC for malpractices. This is not good at all as it affects the state in terms of national rating.

“I urge school owners to stop cutting corners for the sake of making money and protect the integrity of the education sector.”

Adebule said the government would sanction and shut down any private school that did not comply with laws and regulation of the state's education sector.

The deputy governor said that the government would commence census of private schools in the state and intensify regulation to ensure that required standards were upheld.

She also promised to meet with the tax authority to review levies, dues and taxes, to make operations easier for proprietors.

“We recognise your role in the sector, and as a government, we will ensure that you get all the support, and we are ready to partner with you to move the sector forward.”

Earlier, some of the school owners lamented the problems of multiple taxation and indiscriminate increment of the Land Use Charge, annual dues, business premises permit, director's permit and Radio/TV permit.

They also called for the establishment of Education Bank in the state where interest rate would be less than 10 per cent or single digit as obtained in the agricultural sector.

According to them, this will help in tackling the problem of funds in school operation.

In her remark, Mrs Ronke Soyombo, Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, said the meeting would be held quarterly to discuss the status of the sector and ways of improve teaching and learning. (NAN)

•Photo shows Lagos Deputy Governor, Idiat Adebule.