When I first wrote an article on school ownership as a small scale industry, I had in mind then that the last is not yet heard from this progressive business of the moment.
People who are opportune to look into the records of the Educational Ministries will agree with me that the rate in which fresh applications requesting for permission to open, operate or manage schools is quite alarming.
In the past few years, there was a decision by the Nigerian government to close down illegal schools that are operating in the country. This however helped in opening up a vast but level-playing ground for operators and would-be investors. It turned into a big opportunity for anyone to excel and make money. The plan is not intended to drive out operators of private schools, but to make them sit right and meet up with the needed requirements and standards of operating such a high technical business.
The educational institutions have today emerged as one of the most lucrative businesses that are operational in the country. While there are business failures in other sectors, the educational institutions keep moving. This is why retired military officers, Churches, mosques, government organizations and most individuals are massively investing in the education sector.
As the population of Nigeria shoots up daily, it becomes increasingly difficult for the existing number of schools to contain the equally increasing school enrollments of pupils and students who are looking for admissions into the nursery, primary, secondary or tertiary institutions. Since the government is not ready to provide the needed social amenities satisfactorily, it becomes imperative that without private participation in the already decaying educational sector, things will get even worse and out of control. Thus, private participation becomes necessary to boost the image of the sector, leaving the government to play the role of a regulator. By this, the government through its education ministries helps in sensitizing the education system, set up proper standards and help to protect the masses from dubious business people.
A proprietor can protect his institution from becoming one of the emerging small scale business enterprises that masquerade as centres of academic pursuits to becoming a place of academic excellence by providing all the necessary facilities that make for conducive learning. Owning a school does not only mean collecting school fees, charges on school uniforms, books supply, lesson fees, school bus fare, development levy, etc., but to own up the duty of giving the school the face-lift it requires. When you spend time and money to build your school to the required standard, you can be rest assured that you will make it in a very short while. The Nigerian population is large enough to guarantee you a sizeable number of pupils’/students’ enrollment.