The Lagos Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on Tuesday said that the return of schools to their former owners could bring about retrogression in the sector.
Its Chairman, Mr Segun Raheem, said the development would further create class distinction and make access to quality basic education unachievable.
Some of the schools that are being proposed for return to their former owners belong to the missionaries and some private proprietors.
“Returning schools to anybody other than the government running it in this century is retrogressive.
“Education remains the catalyst for development and the recipe for true national advancement.
“Perhaps, the only hope for the Nigerian masses is their claim and access to public education,’’ he said.
Raheem said that returning schools to their former owners would also widen the gap between the poor and the rich as more schools, particularly, in the rural areas would suffer setback.
According to him, the national policy on education which says the first nine years should be free, qualitative and compulsory will suffer a setback.
“Education is a social service which should be available to all and by choice. The availability of choice as stated above will also suffer a setback,’’ Raheem said.
The unionist said that if schools were returned in Lagos State, Lagos Island, for instance, would have only one public school left and children would be left with no choice of schools.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the chairman is reacting to the speculation that the government is considering returning public primary schools to their former owners.
