By Jibrin Hussaini Kundum, Bauchi The Bauchi State Ministry of Education has warned that any private school that fails to comply with the directive to provide accurate and reliable data for this year’s Annual School Census (ASC) will be shut down permanently. The State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Abdulkadir Ibrahim, gave the warning during a one-day stakeholders’ engagement on the dissemination of the State Education Strategic Plan (SESP) and the 2024/2025 Annual School Census. The event took place at the Medical and Health Workers Secretariat, Bauchi. He said the exercise is aimed at generating accurate data to support effective planning and policy implementation in the education sector across Bauchi State. The commissioner also dismissed rumours that private schools providing accurate information would be subjected to additional government taxes or revenue payments. He said this is not the intention of the state government. Alhaji Abdulkadir Ibrahim explained that the Annual School Census remains a critical tool for collecting credible information on schools, enrollment, infrastructure, teachers and learning facilities. According to him, the data will enable the government to make informed decisions and improve service delivery across the education sector. The Commissioner stressed that the state government is determined to ensure that no school is left behind in the exercise, noting that both public and private schools have important roles to play in providing quality education. He urged school proprietors and managers to provide accurate and timely information to school census officials. The Commissioner also described the State Education Strategic Plan as a roadmap for achieving sustainable development in education, adding that the document outlines key priorities and strategies for improving access, quality and learning outcomes across the state. In…
