NAPPS Faults States Over Slow Adoption of Non-State Schools Policy
The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, known as NAPPS, has raised a serious alarm over the National Policy on Non-State Schools. The policy has existed for one year, but many state governments have still not taken the steps needed to use it. NAPPS believes the main problem is weak political commitment at the state level.
The Federal Government launched the policy on July 16, 2025. It was created to guide, regulate and support private schools, faith-based schools, community schools and other non-state schools across Nigeria. The idea was important; these schools educate many Nigerian children and need a proper system that recognises their work.
Yet a policy written on paper cannot help a child by itself. Each state must domesticate it, make it part of its own system and carry out its rules. Without this action, the policy remains a promise outside the classroom.
NAPPS National President, Yomi Otubela, said the Federal Government produced a sound policy. However, he warned that its goals would remain out of reach unless state governments act with purpose. He spoke with The PUNCH on Thursday and said the slow progress shows a painful gap between what the policy plans to do and what states are actually doing.
“The policy itself was not fundamentally misplaced; rather, the challenge has been translating its objectives into concrete action at the state level,” Otubela said.
Education is on the Concurrent Legislative List in Nigeria. This means both the Federal Government and state governments have roles in education. Because of this shared duty, the Federal Government cannot make the National Policy on Non-State Schools work alone. Real progress depends heavily on the support and action of every state.
Otubela made this point clear when he said, “Without deliberate commitment from state governments, national policies will remain largely aspirational.”
Otubela called for steady engagement among all the people involved. State governments must work with private school proprietors, NAPPS chapters, education regulators, parents and development partners. Each group must have a voice in the solution.
He also asked governments to provide clear guidelines for implementation. States must explain what needs to be done, who must do it and when each step must be completed. There must also be accountability structures so progress can be checked and responsible officers can answer for delays.
Otubela said the relationship between governments and private schools must change. He does not want a system built only around regulation, orders and control. He wants a true partnership.
Private schools should be seen as allies in national development, not as bodies that exist only to be watched and controlled. They teach children, employ workers and support the wider education system; their role should be recognised in government planning.
The NAPPS President also called for concessionary financing for private schools. He asked governments to reduce multiple taxation and include private schools in government interventions. These steps, he believes, would help the schools serve children more effectively.
Helen Idiong, the Director of Programme Quality and Influencing at Plan International, expressed similar concerns. She described the policy as a necessary answer to the growing role of non-state schools in the education of Nigerian children.
However, Idiong said implementation has suffered because many states are facing other urgent demands, while political will remains low. “The bigger challenge, like in most policies in Nigeria, is implementation, especially at the state level. Most states are dealing with competing priorities and have low political will to implement or even domesticate it,” she said.
She asked every state to prepare a clear roadmap for implementation. The roadmap should show the steps, duties and direction needed to move the policy from paper into real use. She also called for stronger engagement with the people and groups affected by the policy.
Idiong warned against judging success by simply counting how many states claim to have adopted the policy. A state may approve it on paper while children see no real change. She said the true test must be the effect on children’s learning and their access to education. If children are not learning better or reaching school more easily, the policy has not achieved its purpose.
Funmilayo Awoniyi, an education quality assurance consultant at Eli at Eliara Education Consulting, also explained why the rollout has been slow. She pointed to weak state ownership, limited implementation capacity and low awareness among important stakeholders.
Awoniyi said Lagos, Edo and Nasarawa states have started early consultations. However, none has completed full legal domestication. The unfinished steps include gazetting the policy and creating implementation frameworks that can be enforced.
She also said many private school proprietors do not know that the policy exists. Communication at the state level has been too limited, so the people expected to follow or benefit from the policy have not received enough information.
Other barriers include poor funding, weak quality assurance systems and poor education data infrastructure. Mistrust between governments and private school operators has made the matter harder. When both sides doubt each other, honest discussion becomes difficult and progress slows down.
Awoniyi urged state governments to choose cooperation. She asked them to work closely with NAPPS, faith-based school networks and civil society organisations. She also called on states to strengthen their internal quality assurance capacity so they can guide schools, check standards and support better learning.
The message from all three education leaders is direct. Nigeria already has the National Policy on Non-State Schools, but having a policy is not enough. State governments must own it, domesticate it and implement it with clear rules, real funding and honest partnership. Children cannot learn from promises. What they need is action.