By ABIODUN Jamiu

THE Kwara State Government says it has set aside the sum of N135,500,000 under the Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP) as an interest-free loan for private schools in the state.

This is coming after the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) in the state called for assistance to cushion the effects of school closure arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kwara State, stated in a press statement on Tuesday that the 1,119 private schools in the state have been grouped into two, each category receiving between N200,000 and N100,000 depending on their staff strength.

Ajakaye explained that under the arrangement, schools in category A — which totalled 236 and have 20 staff and above — will each receive N200,000 to support their workers.

While Category B schools, with 19 or less staff and totalling 883 schools, are to receive N100,000 each under the arrangement that is purely voluntary.

Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, Governor of Kwara State had during a recent virtual meeting held with the umbrella bodies of private schools in the state pledged to offer an interest-free loan to the owners as salary support for their workers to prevent massive loss of job in the sector.

AbdulRazaq said he would not be blind to the plight of any Kwaran, including proprietors and workers across private schools in the state who he acknowledged had been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic due to the closure of schools and some other businesses for months.

The private school owners had during the virtual meeting commended the administration for the food palliatives given to them through the COVID-19 committee.