Zamfara govt screens 242 private schools, recovers N23m tax liabilities

The Zamfara government has certified 123 private schools pass the minimum operational teaching and learning standard test for children in the state.

The state government had identified 508 schools operating under private ownership, and 242 were tested in various areas to ensure compliance with the state’s minimum learning and teaching standards for kids.

Kulu Na’ala, Chairperson, Committee for Enforcement of Minimum Standard and Regulatory Compliance of the Private Schools, said this during the presentation of the committee’s report, on Tuesday in Gusau.

She said that part of the mandate of the committee was to ensure that private schools meet the minimum conditions for safe, lawful and quality operation in line with the state government’s policy on education.

Na’ala said that 242 out of the 508 identified schools were assessed; 123 were rated good, and 119 rated fair or poor.

She said that the committee recorded significant achievements during the assessment exercise, including the recovery of N23 million tax liabilities, and paid to the Zamfara State Internal Revenue Service.

The chairlady said that proprietors were trained to generate tax invoices and use electronic payment channels to reduce revenue leakage, as well as deployment of a standardised digital assessment instrument with school grading and operational level recommendations completed.

Na’ala said that the committee also established a comprehensive database of private schools for future exercises, to  improve awareness on minimum standards, child protection, quality assurance, and documentation.

She identified lack of extant law to regulate private schools, as a major challenge towards ensuring effective regulations in the state.

“The scope permitted operation in approval certificates is unclear and difficult to enforce. Schools in this category operating without approval certificates need urgent resolution,” she said.

Na’ala reiterated the committee’s resolve to ensure that private schools comply with laid-down standards, warning that non-compliant schools risk deregistration.

While reiterating commitment to enforce tax obligations to boost education funding, Na’ala advocated sound legislations to back enforcement, ease approval processes, and monitoring of lesson centres operating outside the formal system. (NAN)