National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools(NAPPS) has called for autonomy to enable them regulate the affairs and activities of private schools in the country, pointing out that the association is in a better position to flush out bad eggs in the educational system involving private school owners.
The call came at the South-West Delegates Conference, with the theme, Quality Assurance: Strategies for School Improvement held at Taidob College, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The South-West Regional President of the Association, Dosu-Idowu Moses,while addressing journalists at the venue, accused some government officials of colluding with some unqualified proprietors to set up quack schools in various parts of the country.
‘We want autonomy to regulate private schools; some state governments are yet to agree to this, our association is suppose “to recommend approval for private schools. We have been seeking government support for the approval; we must have a regulatory body. We are not in support of proliferation of schools, we want to work hand-in-hand with government,” he stated.
The body noted that, government in various states of the country must have a well-articulated and defined programme of educational relationship with the private schools, adding that,private schools should benefit from national and international resources accruing to improve the standard of education in various states since the purpose is to train every Nigerian child.
“National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools as an umbrella body of other associations should be made to be part of committee to determine the educational policies in our various states,” he emphasised.
In a related development, the association called on government to give them harmonised taxation,rather than the existing multiple taxation introduced by government, which is noted to be a thorn in their flesh.
‘The private schools should henceforth not loaded with burden of multiple taxation but a harmonised one put in place to make proprietors of such schools less stressful. The government should not see the private education sector as revenue generation means and proceeds from such schools should be tax free’
On the unresolved university lecturers strike, the association decried in strong term,and passionately appealed to both Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) to resolved their differences in the interest of the. students who are the country future leaders.
