The Ebonyi State government has intensified its clampdown on unapproved schools, with over 88 proprietors and teachers arrested for operating illegally.

The state Commissioner for Education (Primary and Secondary), Donatus Illang, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the progress of the government’s new education policy. He explained that the ministry had earlier carried out sensitization campaigns, informing stakeholders of the rules and standards required before setting up schools in the state.

Illang stressed that the arrests were necessary to ensure full compliance with the new policy and to safeguard the quality of education.

Supporting the commissioner’s stance, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Mary Otozi, issued a stern warning that more arrests would follow if illegal operators failed to close down their institutions. She also urged prospective school owners to abide by the laid-down regulations.

“We are determined to ensure a qualitative education system in Ebonyi. This is not about connections or how much money you can bring. What we are doing is to protect the future of our children. We can’t joke with their future,” Otozi said.

The crackdown has sparked mixed reactions in the state, with some residents praising the government’s commitment to educational standards, while others worry about the sudden disruption for pupils in the affected schools.