PRESS RELEASE
LAGOS OEQA HOSTS APPROVAL INTERVENTION WORKSHOP TO STRENGTHEN STANDARDS IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS
The Lagos State Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, has organised an Approval Intervention Workshop for registered Grade C and D private schools across the state.
The workshop, held on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alausa, Ikeja, was themed “Pathway to Progress: Scaling Up Private Schools for Approval in Lagos State.”
Speaking at the event, the Director of the Private Education and Special Programmes (PESP) Department, Dr. Sulaimon Ogunmuyiwa clarified that the grading of schools into Categories A to D is not punitive but an important evaluative tool.
He recalled that the Approval Intervention Workshop, follows similar engagements extended to Grade A and B schools earlier in the year, reinforcing the Lagos State Government’s strategic effort to foster synergy between regulators and school owners.
Dr. Ogunmuyiwa added that the initiative is part of the government’s ongoing commitment to guide, support, and upgrade yet-to-be-approved private schools to ensure compliance with established standards for safe and quality teaching and learning environments.
He described the exercise as “not a judgment but an assessment,” explaining that the process helps OEQA identify critical areas requiring support and improvement.
Dr. Ogunmuyiwa commended school proprietors for their commitment, investment, and dedication to providing quality education.
He noted that the workshop was designed to demystify compliance expectations by breaking down checklist requirements for nursery, primary, and secondary schools, while addressing incomplete statutory records, poor documentation, and inadequate safety measures.
Ogunmuyiwa encouraged participants to see these gaps as opportunities for growth, stressing that “the quality of education in Lagos State is only as strong as its weakest link.”
Also speaking, the Director of the Approval Unit (OEQA), Mrs. Kehinde Ogunlana, urged school owners to ensure strict adherence to the minimum physical facility standards required for approval.
She emphasised the importance of adequate classrooms, special rooms, appropriate furniture, and safe structures, just as she advised schools operating from converted residential buildings to conduct structural integrity tests to confirm their suitability for academic use.
The Coordinating Director of Education District VI, Mrs. Folusade Sofola, expressed appreciation for the sustained cooperation between private schools and district offices.
She encouraged proprietors to make use of support available at district offices or the OEQA headquarters, assuring them that the state maintains an open-door policy for all stakeholders.
In her remarks, the Director of Monitoring and Investigation (OEQA), Mrs.Kafilat Ashimi, reaffirmed her department’s mandate in overseeing examinations and investigating school-related cases.
She urged school administrators to adhere strictly to state-approved procedures in resolving issues, emphasising the importance of discipline and compliance across staff–student, parent–teacher, and employer–employee relationships.
The workshop also featured the participation of the Executive Director of SEED Care and Support Foundation, Mrs. Olanrewaju Oniyitan, who expressed the organisation’s readiness to support private schools, particularly within the affordable non-state education space.
She noted that SEED’s interventions are targeted at system-level, community-level, and school-level improvements through quality assessment and capacity-building programmes.
A group breakout session formed part of the workshop, with teachers from various districts engaging in collaborative activities aimed at improving teamwork and problem-solving. Quality Assurance Officers facilitated the discussions, providing clarification on compliance expectations and common non-negotiable requirements for school approval.
#AGreaterLagosRising
#LASG
