The state government said the schools violated laid down procedure.

The Ogun State Government has clamped down on illegal private primary schools in the state with a call on their proprietors to regularize their operations within three days or be handed over to the police for possible prosecution.

The state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Segun Odubela, accompanied by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Tunji Abimbola, and other top management staff of the ministry, said this during the clamp down exercise.

Mr. Odubela said the exercise became necessary following findings that most of the proprietors have failed to comply with laid down rules and regulations they were given before they established the schools.

“It is disheartening to note that owners of these private schools have proven to be recalcitrant to our advice to ensure that basic requirements are met before establishing their School” the commissioner said. “We are not here to witch-hunt anybody, what we are doing is to sanitize the system.”

“A situation whereby children are kept in over- crowded rooms without ventilation, and qualified teachers teaching them amongst other necessities would not be condoned,” the commissioner emphasised.

In a related development, Mr. Odubela said  the unified examination currently used to access the performance of students in all public secondary schools will be extended to all public primary schools in the State.

The commissioner said this while fielding questions at the Parents Teachers Association forum at the Yewa College, Ilaro.

Mr. Odubela observed that though the measure is expensive, it is a veritable platform for testing the performance of students.

On the allegation that some heads of some public schools were forcing students to pay levies, the commissioner, who reiterated government’s stance on the provision of free but qualitative education, said the recommended fees as stipulated in the circular sent to all the Heads of schools should be strictly adhered to.

He warned that any school head caught in the act would be sanctioned accordingly.