The Katsina government says it has unveiled a new policy guideline aimed at regulating private and community schools across the 34 local government areas.

The education commissioner, Zainab Musa-Musawa, said this at a stakeholders’ town hall meeting made up of proprietors of schools in Katsina on Monday.

Ms Musa-Musawa stated that the education ministry was taking bold steps towards reforming the educational sector, with the conviction that education is the cornerstone of progress.

She said private and community schools across the state play a pivotal role in shaping the future of children.

Ms Musa-Musawa told the proprietors that their presence underscores the commitment to advancing an inclusive educational reform that aims to improve the overall quality of education in the state.

“The new operational guideline has been carefully drafted to strengthen the operations of private and community schools while fostering collaboration with the state government to meet the educational needs of every child.

“It is also aimed at creating a transparent, efficient, and inclusive framework for school operations,” said Ms Musa-Musawa.

Ms Musa-Musawa added that the document was designed not to burden the proprietors but to empower them to deliver quality education that prepares the children for a competitive world.

“The approval process is transparent and free from undue influence. Furthermore, reinvented community engagement, especially for community schools, must demonstrate a long-term development plan that involves local stakeholders, ensuring schools serve as hubs for community welfare.

“This guideline is not static. We are committed to transparency and stakeholder engagement. Hence, the document is a draft and will be shared with you to foster collaboration and evidence-based improvements,” she explained.

Ms Musa-Musawa noted that feedback from the proprietors was vital to refining the policies and urged all private and community schools to embrace it fully.

“Register for approval processes, invest in teacher training, and prioritise students’ welfare. The ministry is here to support you with resources, training, and partnership,” she said.

Mukhtar Jibiya, a representative of private school proprietors, commended the state government for the meeting, stating that the proprietors are the second-largest employers of labour in the state after the government.

He said that private school owners have recruited over 30,000 employees across more than 1,500 schools, contributing to a reduction in out-of-school children across the state.

Additionally, Dikko Aliyu, the representative of the community school proprietors, stated that they have been planning to meet with the commissioner to discuss the issues.

(NAN)