Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has revoked operational approval given to all private schools in the state.
They are to seek fresh approval within the next two weeks.
The Governor gave the directive at a meeting with all private school proprietors in Rivers state at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday.
Wike put the proprietors on notice that his government was committed to improving the standard of education in the state for the good of the people of Rivers.
He said: “All the schools must apply for operational approval within the next two weeks. We will set up committees that will recommend the approval of schools. All the schools in the state must be up to the required standard.
“The governor’s office will review all the approval of schools. All the existing approvals by the Ministry of Education have been cancelled. For this process, there will be no room for bribery and corruption.”
Governor Wike also cautioned the school owners that all levies must be paid through approved designated bank accounts saying that anyone who demanded for cash payment should be reported to security agencies through designated phone lines.
He noted that the Office of the Secretary to the Rivers State Government will publish telephone lines that the proprietors should contact if pressured to pay illegal levies.
