By Joy Odor
The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) has pledged its readiness to take one million out-of-school children from the streets through scholarships.
The National President of the Association, Mr. Yomi Otubela made this known in Abuja on Thursday when his team and that of the Association of Private Schools Owners of Nigeria (APSON) paid a courtesy call to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu.
Mr. Otubela said the increase in the rate of out-of-school children was worrisome and needed urgent attention.
“NAPPS as the umbrella body for over forty thousand private school owners in the country with membership cutting across all the seven hundred and seventy four local governments of the federation had tasked its members to provide scholarship to a minimum of five children per section.
“With the current record of out of school children of 10.5 million, it was important for the private sector to collaborate with government to address the situation.
He said ‘’while applauding your efforts to increase access to school in the face of a worrisome situation where the rate of out of school children in the country is 10.5m children, we rose from NEC meeting with a strong decision to partner your office in proffering solution, therefore it is a unanimous decision of the national executives of NAPPS that each of about 40,000 proprietors in NAPPS shall oblige towards scholarships to target 10 indigent children per year for a consecutive three years’’
Chief Otubela urged the minister to liaise with various states to eliminate duplication of taxes and levies which he said was affecting them.
He also pleaded for the establishment of special financial institution such as education bank to support private schools with concessionary interest to solve the issue of increasing bank interest on loan for private schools.
Mr. Otubela also called for a synergy that would promote professional development in the private education sub-sector.
He said there was also a need to help look at the issue of multiple taxation as it affects private schools, adding that this problem had become a factor unsettling many schools.
On running of different academic calendars by states after reopening of schools, Chief Otubela urged the minister to look through it for harmonisation.
Also speaking, the President of APSON, Mr Godly Opukeme pleaded with the Minister to consider private schools in the distribution of teaching and learning facilities, while also including the private school pupils into the Federal Scholarship Programme.
Bishop Opukeme called for the provision of payroll survival fund to schools nationwide and other areas of interventions to cushion the effects of economic hardship of teachers.
Responding, the Minister promised to look into the demands of the two associations.
