The Kano State Private and Voluntary Institutions Board has introduced mandatory annual operating licence renewals for all private schools operating across the state.
The board’s Executive Secretary, Baba Abubakar-Umar, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Tuesday.
According to him, each private school is required to pay an annual operating licence fee of N6,000 as part of the new regulatory requirement.
Abubakar-Umar said the move was aimed at strengthening oversight and ensuring that private schools maintain acceptable educational standards.
He explained that anyone seeking to establish a new private school must first submit a formal application, after which officials of the board would conduct a comprehensive inspection of the proposed facilities.
He said the inspection would focus on several areas, including the availability of qualified teachers, adequate learning facilities, child safety and welfare, equipment and compliance with the approved curriculum.
“We check benches, chairs, safety and welfare of the children, equipment, and the number of qualified teachers,” the executive secretary said.
Abubakar-Umar noted that private schools previously renewed their operating licences every three years. However, he said the state recently amended the relevant law to make the renewal an annual requirement.
“Under Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf’s drive for quality education, the law was amended to mandate annual licence renewals,” he said.
He urged proprietors whose licences have expired to complete the renewal process before the end of September, warning that schools that fail to comply would face immediate sanctions.
The executive secretary also cautioned private school operators against imposing arbitrary increases in school fees without adequate justification.
“You cannot just start running a school and then increase fees every term; we will not accept any increment beyond parents’ capacity, considering current economic realities,” he warned.
He explained that any legitimate review of school fees must involve an active Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), which would provide a platform for school authorities and parents to negotiate fair and affordable charges.
Abubakar-Umar urged private school proprietors to comply with the state’s regulatory requirements, stressing that the measures were designed to promote safe, affordable and quality education for children across Kano State.
