Barely 24 hours after private schools in Anambra state commenced strike over extortion by government, the state has announced the closure of 12 of such schools.

Announcing the closure of the schools on Tuesday, the state Commissioner for Basic Education, Prof Kate Omenugha, accused them of engaging in irregularities.

She said the schools did not have the capacity for conducive teaching and learning; such as qualified teachers.

The Schools are Jubilee Secondary School, Ihiala; Jonjay Comprehensive Secondary School, Ihiala; Redemption Model Secondary School Awada, Obosi, Higher Achievers Secondary School Uli and Spencer Secondary School, Uli.

Others are City High Secondary School, Ozubulu; Summit Comprehensive College, Obosi; Dominion Comprehensive Secondary School, Obosi and Keep Looking to Jesus Comprehensive Secondary School, Nnewi.

The rest are Azia Comprehensive Secondary School, Azia, Star Light Secondary School, Ogbunike and Bilingual Secondary School Abagana.

Omenugha said the Education Commission would continue to fish out such deficient schools in a bid to sanitising the education sector.

She said it was regrettable that some private schools in the state had engaged in examination malpractices, otherwise known as `miracle centres’, calling for proper reactivation of certificates of registration of private schools.

She said, “Ministry of Education has done a lot toward getting private schools work in order to achieve more for the state.

“It is unheard of that private schools will embark on a strike without writing to the ministry.

“We invited the groups to an emergency meeting on March 14 but two of the four groups declined the invitation and instead, resorted to industrial action.

“Anambra State is the only state granting subvention to private schools. In the last administration, they were given N2.5 million for laboratories as well as buses.’’