By Martha Agas
Jos, – The Plateau chapter of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), has pleaded with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), to extend its support to private schools in rural communities.
Its Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Uzoji, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Jos that access to educational materials in rural communities was difficult, urging the board to intervene.
“Access to educational materials in rural communities is very minimal. SUBEB should intervene to augment what proprietors of of the primary schools in hinterlands can afford,” he said.
Noting that 75 per cent of Nigerian children attend private primary schools, he said that government must show more interest in the quality of what the children were getting.
He said that government should also show more interest in the quality and quantity of teachers working in the private schools, and suggested that the schools be included among beneficiaries of intervention programmes.
The NAPPS official also advised his colleagues to create the right environment to attract and keep qualified and experienced teachers to boost service delivery.
Uzoji called for a much closer working relationship between private schools and government departments, so as to achieve national policy goals on education.
He regretted that poor funding had affected Nigeria’s educational growth, and urged government, private companies and international agencies to increase funding to the sector.