A member of the Oyo State House of Assembly representing Ogbomoso North Constituency, Hon. Bisi Oluranti Michael, has called on the state government to mandate the employment of qualified teachers in private primary and secondary schools to enhance the quality and efficiency of education in the state.
Hon. Oluranti, who made the call during the House plenary session on Thursday, emphasized that quality education is a fundamental right of every child. She stressed that both government and private institutions share the responsibility of providing students with a conducive learning environment.
She expressed concern that many private schools are compromising academic standards by hiring unqualified teachers, warning that such practices could have long-term negative consequences on the state’s educational development.
“The employment of unqualified teachers undermines the efforts of the state government to improve the standard of education,” she said. “While public schools benefit from qualified personnel such as university graduates and holders of the National Certificate in Education (NCE), many private schools continue to employ underqualified staff, creating a significant gap in education quality across the state.”
She further stated, “Private schools should not be allowed to sacrifice educational standards in the pursuit of profit. Employing secondary school leavers as teachers is a disservice to students, their parents, and the future of Oyo State.”
Hon. Oluranti urged the state government to enforce stricter regulations on the recruitment of teaching staff in private schools, emphasizing the need for an immediate intervention to uphold education standards.
She commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his efforts in improving public education, noting the recruitment of over 5,000 qualified teachers during his first term, along with the recent employment of an additional 7,500 teaching and 3,000 non-teaching staff by the Oyo State Post Primary Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), and 7,000 teachers by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
“While these efforts have significantly improved public school education, it is crucial that private schools are held to similar standards to ensure that every student in the state receives quality education,” she added.
In response, the House urged the Executive Arm of Government, through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, in collaboration with SUBEB, to conduct an immediate assessment of all private primary and secondary schools in the state to identify those employing unqualified teachers.
The House also summoned the Association of School Proprietors and Proprietresses, directing them to ensure that only schools with qualified teaching staff are considered for registration and license renewal, and to guarantee adherence to educational standards in private schools across the state.
