By PETER OKUTU

ABAKALIKI-EBONYI State Government has identified 494 illegal and substandard schools in different parts of the state.

The number is made up of 166 nursery, 205 primary and 123 secondary schools, said to be some of the outlets aiding the collapse of education in the state, serving as avenues for examination malpractices.

At a news briefing, weekend, Commissioner for Education in the State, Mr. Ndubisi Chibueze-Agbo, said an 8-man committee, comprising representatives of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS, Ebonyi chapter, Catholic Education Board, among others, would be set up to see to the eventual closure of the illegal schools.

He said the government would no longer tolerate any act of compromise targeted at reducing the standard of education in the state, no matter the personality involved, adding that government would at every point encourage the contributions of private partnership in its bid to provide qualitative and quantitative education to all citizens.

He emphasized the commitment of government to close down all the schools involved, even as he stated that “government will never compromise standard.

“Immediately I was sworn in as the Commissioner for Education, I assured the general public that we are going to do our best to ensure that our children get the best of education.

“The governor is a man of uncommon vision and we have no other reason than to give him all the needed support. education in the state is everybody’s business.

“Before my assumption the Ministry had put in place a panel or committee to go round the state and identified schools that are substandard or illegal.

“The interim report states that we have 494 illegal and substandard schools in the state. We 166 nursery, 205 primary schools and 123 secondary schools that are illegal and substandard.

“It is on record that the state government had at various times paid both WAEC and NECO fees for students in Private schools with those in its public schools. We shall still do more to encourage private participation in Education.”