By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Senior Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru on Secondary Education, Peter Nwogbaga, has expressed displeasure over the rising number of illegal and substandard schools in the state.

Nwogbaga made his feelings known on interview with the press after the closure of some illegal schools in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.

He lamented that churches are not helping the matter as they have turned every available space in the church premises, including church halls, into class rooms for learning activities.

He called on proprietors of the unapproved private schools to Identify with the Ministry of Education officials to guide them on how to establish standard schools and get approvals.

On her part, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Primary Education, Mrs Ifeoma Agwu, said it is wrong to keep children under the tree and unapproved environments for school all in the name of private school and maintained that unapproved schools have to be closed down.

Also speaking, the Director, Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education, Barrister Tony Ngwuta, said the purpose of the exercise is to sanitize private school system and ensure quality and appealed them to comply with the committee for better education.

The sealed schools include Shalom Nursery and Primary School, Cathedral Methodist Nursery and Primary School, Holy Family Nursery and Primary school, Christian Child Nursery and Primary School, among others. Some of the proprietors claimed that their headquarters had secured approvals for them to run schools in their church premises.

The enforcement team disclosed that they would proceed to other local government areas to continue the exercise.