Panic Over! Abia Govt Breaks Silence On Private School Closure Rumours

The Abia State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has instructed all private schools in the state to revalidate their operations via a centralized digital portal starting June 16.

Announcing the development in Umuahia, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Goodluck Ubochi, clarified that the initiative is not aimed at shutting down any private school.

According to him, the revalidation process is designed to capture data on all private schools—whether approved, unapproved, or currently operating illegally—into the newly introduced Abia State Basic and Secondary Education Management Information System (ASBS-EMIS).

He explained that each private school will receive unique login details, while both teachers and students will be assigned individual identification numbers.

“This is not an attempt to close schools,” Ubochi stated. “Rather, it is a strategic move to ensure that every school in Abia meets minimum standards. It’s a push for quality, inclusion, and greater transparency in the education sector.”

He stressed that the exercise also applies to unapproved schools—not to penalize them—but to help them achieve compliance over time.

Ubochi further emphasized that the revalidation process is entirely free, and urged school operators to report any attempts by officials to demand money.

Additionally, he noted that the teacher-pupil ratio, infrastructure, and compliance levels will be monitored and tracked through the digital platform.