By Patrick Ochei
The Honourable Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah has ordered the immediate closure of all private lesson centres in the State, adding that the decision became necessary in the interest of public good.
He gave this executive order when members of the Delta State Child Rights Implementation Committee paid him an advocacy visit in his office on Wednesday 17th February, 2021, in Asaba.
Ukah affirmed that if the Child Rights Committee had been backed by law, that means his job had been made easier to begin to take certain decisions as they affect child protection policy of the State.
He said the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education needs to go into practical partnership with the State Child Rights Implementation Committee with meticulous strategies to sweep off roaming children from the streets and then put mechanism in place to deal with offences against children.
The Commissioner there and then instructed the Director in charge of the Department of Advocacy and Mentoring in the Ministry, Dr. Emechili to commence working with the Committee towards building a strong synergy for the mentoring of school children in the State.
Chief Ukah therefore, ordered that lesson centres should be closed and henceforth apply to operate as private schools for proper regulation.
