Enugu State Government has directed the immediate closure of all private schools at basic and post-basic levels operating in the state without the written approval of the state’s ministry of education.

The directive, according to the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eze, was on the heels of incessant springing up of substandard private schools in Enugu State without seeking registration or obtaining approval of the ministry as required by the law.

Prof. Eze stated that the ugly development is a source of serious concern to the government and to all stakeholders in the education sector in the state, stressing that “without such registration and approval, the government cannot guarantee or assure the state of infrastructure or the quality of teaching and learning offered in such schools.”

The education commissioner advised all the affected persons and schools to abide strictly by the directive in their own interest, stating that “the state government shall, two weeks from the date of this announcement, embark on forcible closure of any defaulting school, prosecute and punish any person or group of persons still flouting the directive.”