By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State Government has threatened to shut down schools operating a discriminatory admission policy against children based on their colour or country of origin.
The state government was reacting to a report that a school run by the Indians in Ilupeju, Lagos, operates a closed-door policy against Nigerian children.
The school known as Indian Language School, Ilupeju, is alleged to be operating a policy that bars non-Indians from being admitted.
The Commissioner for Basic Education and Secondary Education, Mr Tolani Alli-Balogun, said no registered school in Lagos is allowed to operate a closed-door policy on admission like prohibiting admission of children based on their parents’ nationals, colour or any other considerations.
He disclosed that officials of the ministry of education have visited the school and investigation is being deepened to ascertain the veracity of the allegation.
The commissioner said an appropriate action would be taken if the ongoing investigation confirmed the alleged practice to be true.
According to him, denying a child admission to any school runs contrary to the Child Rights Act, which the Lagos State government has domesticated.
“We have visited the school in Ilupeju and investigation is going on. At the end of our investigation, if the school is found culpable, it would be shut down. No school has the right to deny admission to any child,”
said Tolani-Balogun at a briefing to mark fifth anniversary of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration.
The commissioner also disclosed that 1,340 teachers were recruited within the period under review.
“In the last one year, over 1,000 newly recruited teachers were inducted into the teaching profession for effective teaching/learning delivery by Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM).”
While speaking on the state government efforts on the out-of-school children, Alli-Balogun said, “ So far about 2,636 out-of-school children have been kit-ted and enrolled back to various public schools in the state.”
On education planning and policy matters, the commissioner stated:”From the onset, the education transformation plan of this administration and its expected deliverables has focused on policy shift and address short, medium and long term challenges to the provision of qualitative education in Lagos State.
“As part of this plan, since 2019 the administration of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has rigorously pursued a strategic policy of not leaving any child behind.
“In addition to the existing 1,723 public schools in Lagos State, the ministry executed a plan to expand our capacity to absorb more students and provide access to education across the state.
The education commissioner said there 462 approved private nursery and primary schools in the state and 251 secondary schools while vocational schools are seven.