By Temi Ohakwe, Abuja
The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools NAPPS is to offer scholarship to One Million out of school children to reduce the number of out of school children in the country.
The National President of NAPPS Chief Yomi Otubela stated this when he led other members of the Association and the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria APSON on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu.
Chief Otubela said 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.
Chief Otubela explained that 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.
The President of the Association of Private Schools Owners of Nigeria APSON Bishop Godly Opukeme urged the minister to consider private schools in the distribution of teaching and learning facilities whenever they are available.
The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu commended the proprietors of private schools and said government would look into their demands.
