The Lagos State Government has directed private schools operating without the required approvals to immediately begin the registration process, warning that educational institutions must comply with established regulatory standards to continue operating within the state.
The directive forms part of renewed efforts by the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to strengthen oversight of private educational institutions, improve learning conditions and ensure that schools meet minimum operational requirements.
Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, issued the warning on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, stressing that the government would no longer tolerate the proliferation of unapproved schools operating outside the state’s regulatory framework.
According to the commissioner, affected school proprietors are required to begin the registration process with the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), the agency responsible for monitoring standards in schools below the tertiary level.
The government maintained that proper registration and regulatory compliance are necessary to protect learners, strengthen accountability and promote quality education across Lagos.
The directive comes amid continued expansion of private educational institutions across the state, driven partly by population growth and increasing demand for educational services.
Government Moves to Strengthen Education Standards
Alli-Balogun explained that the state government had introduced measures to simplify the approval process and support proprietors seeking to regularise their operations.
He disclosed that the Office of Education Quality Assurance organised two training programmes in 2026 to guide operators of unapproved schools through the requirements for obtaining official recognition.
The programmes were designed to provide practical information about documentation, regulatory expectations and procedures for securing approval.
According to the commissioner, more than 800 unapproved schools had benefited from the government’s engagement and training initiatives during the year.
He maintained that the government had provided the necessary guidance and expected proprietors to demonstrate their willingness to comply with the law.
The commissioner emphasised that the approval process was not intended to discourage private investment in education but to ensure that institutions operate within acceptable standards.
Registration Mandatory for Private Schools
Also speaking on the directive, the Director-General of the Office of Education Quality Assurance, Dr Sulaimon Ogunmuyiwa, explained that registration is mandatory for private schools under the Lagos State Education Law.
He said the increasing number of private schools had made proper documentation, monitoring and data collection essential for effective regulation.
According to him, accurate information about educational institutions enables the government to assess infrastructure, monitor compliance and identify areas requiring intervention.
Ogunmuyiwa urged proprietors of unapproved schools to submit their registration applications at the OEQA office, Block 5, The Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
He assured school owners that officers of the agency were available to provide professional guidance and assist applicants through the approval process.
The director-general explained that registration would also provide several benefits to participating schools.
These include official recognition, opportunities for capacity-building programmes, access to relevant government initiatives and information about education policies.
Safety of Schoolchildren Remains Major Concern
The government’s directive highlights the importance of maintaining appropriate safety and learning standards in educational institutions.
School infrastructure, classroom conditions, sanitation facilities, teacher qualifications and emergency preparedness are among the issues that can affect the quality of education delivered to learners.
Where schools operate without proper oversight, authorities may face difficulties determining whether facilities meet established requirements.
Such gaps can expose learners to unsuitable environments and make it harder for parents to assess the credibility of educational institutions.
A functioning regulatory system helps establish minimum expectations and provides a basis for identifying schools that require corrective action.
Education stakeholders also recognise that effective monitoring should focus on continuous improvement rather than registration alone.
This means that obtaining approval should be accompanied by periodic inspections, staff development and compliance with relevant operational standards.
Private Schools Remain Important to Lagos Education
Despite the warning, the state government acknowledged the significant contributions of private schools to education delivery.
Private institutions provide learning opportunities for thousands of children across Lagos and contribute to employment for teachers, administrators and support personnel.
They also complement government efforts to expand access to basic and secondary education.
Alli-Balogun commended private school proprietors for supporting the government’s education objectives under the THEMES Plus Development Agenda.
He maintained that private education providers remain important partners in improving educational access and learning outcomes.
However, the commissioner stressed that partnership with the government must be accompanied by compliance with applicable regulations.
Implications for School Proprietors
For owners of unapproved schools, the directive creates an immediate need to review their operational status and begin the necessary registration procedures.
Newly established schools and institutions that have operated without completing the approval process are particularly affected.
Compliance may require proprietors to provide documentation and demonstrate that their facilities meet relevant requirements.
Smaller institutions may face challenges relating to administrative capacity and the financial implications of meeting regulatory standards.
The government will therefore need to ensure that proprietors have access to clear information and appropriate guidance.
Transparent procedures could encourage voluntary compliance and reduce uncertainty among operators.
Parents Encouraged to Verify School Status
The development also places renewed attention on the responsibility of parents and guardians when selecting schools for their children.
Beyond academic performance and tuition fees, the regulatory status of an institution can provide useful information about its accountability and compliance with government requirements.
Parents may therefore wish to confirm that prospective schools have obtained the necessary approvals.
Access to reliable information about registered institutions could strengthen confidence in the education system and encourage higher standards among operators.
Government Seeks Stronger Monitoring
Ogunmuyiwa explained that proper registration would support the government’s ability to collect accurate data, monitor school operations and design targeted interventions.
Improved documentation could also help education authorities understand the distribution of schools across different communities.
Such information is important for educational planning, infrastructure development and the identification of underserved areas.
The state government has maintained that its ultimate objective is to ensure that children have access to safe, inclusive and quality education.
Enforcement Expected to Drive Compliance
With the latest directive, attention will turn to the response of school proprietors and the steps taken by the Office of Education Quality Assurance to ensure compliance.
Although the government has warned unapproved schools to regularise their operations, the reports reviewed did not establish that specific institutions had been closed under the latest directive.
Effective enforcement will require consistency, transparency and appropriate consideration of the educational needs of affected learners.
The government’s renewed focus on registration underscores the importance of balancing private-sector participation with regulatory accountability.
For Lagos State, improving oversight of private schools could strengthen educational standards, protect learners and support long-term development of the state’s education sector.
