The Lagos State Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) has held an intervention workshop aimed at strengthening standards and improving compliance among Grade C and D private schools.
Eko Hot News reports that the workshop, organized by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, took place on Wednesday, November 26, 2026, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alausa, Ikeja. Themed “Pathway to Progress: Scaling Up Private Schools for Approval in Lagos State,” the programmer gathered school proprietors, education stakeholders and regulatory officials for an in-depth engagement on raising school quality across the state.
Speaking at the event, the Director of the Private Education and Special Programmer ( PESP ) Department, Dr. Sulaimon Ogunmuyiwa, clarified that the grading of private schools into Categories A through D is not a punitive exercise. Rather, it serves as a critical evaluative tool used to identify areas needing improvement and to guide schools toward meeting government-approved standards.
Dr. Ogunmuyiwa recalled that similar workshops had been previously conducted for Grade A and B private schools, emphasising that the government’s goal is to foster collaboration rather than confrontation. According to him, the Approval Intervention Workshop forms part of the Lagos State Government’s strategic plan to unify regulatory bodies and school owners in the shared responsibility of delivering quality education.
He stressed that the initiative is designed to support yet-to-be-approved schools by helping them understand the state’s expectations and by identifying gaps that must be addressed for safe, effective and compliant learning environments. Describing the process as “not a judgment but an assessment,” he noted that many schools simply need guidance and clearer administrative direction.
The PESP Director praised school proprietors for their continuous investment and commitment to improving educational outcomes despite financial and infrastructural pressures. He explained that the workshop demystified the compliance checklist, breaking it down across nursery, primary and secondary levels, while highlighting common shortcomings such as incomplete statutory records, weak documentation practices, insufficient safety protocols and non-adherence to facility standards.
Ogunmuyiwa urged participants to view these gaps as opportunities for growth and not as deterrents. “The quality of education in Lagos State is only as strong as its weakest link,” he cautioned, adding that the state’s goal is to ensure no school is left behind.
Also addressing the gathering, the Director of the Approval Unit at OEQA, Mrs. Kehinde Ogunlana, appealed to school owners to prioritise adherence to the minimum physical facility requirements. She underscored the importance of conducive classrooms, special instructional rooms, durable furniture, and structurally safe buildings. For schools operating from converted residential structures, she advised conducting structural integrity tests to ensure the buildings meet the standards for academic use.
The Coordinating Director of Education District VI, Mrs. Folusade Sofola, applauded the cooperation between private schools and the district offices. She encouraged proprietors to make use of the technical support and guidance available at the district level or at the OEQA headquarters, assuring them that the government maintains an open-door policy for all educational stakeholders.
In her remarks, the Director of Monitoring and Investigation for OEQA, Mrs. Kafilat Ashimi, reaffirmed her department’s responsibility in supervising examinations and handling school-related investigations. She urged school administrators to maintain discipline and comply with state-approved procedures in managing issues involving students, staff, parents and school authorities.
The workshop also featured insights from the Executive Director of SEED Care and Support Foundation, Mrs. Olanrewaju Oniyitan, who expressed the organization’s commitment to supporting private schools, particularly those in the affordable non-state education category. She explained that SEED’s interventions focus on system-level improvements, community engagement and school-level capacity building through structured quality assessments.
The Lagos OEQA reiterated that the workshop is one of several ongoing initiatives aimed at aligning private schools with the state’s vision for safe, high-quality and well-regulated education.
