THE management of a private secondary school in Kano, Prime College, has refuted claims that it has agreed to an out-of-court settlement with the State Private and Voluntary Institutions Management Board (KSPVIB) to reopen the school.
The expressed surprise to a purported news in a section of the media that it has agreed to the terms of the board for its reopening, which it has from the onset said its unconstitutional as there was never a court order to close the school.
‘’Our client, Prime College, has drawn our attention to an announcement in the press by the PVIB Kano, on a purported terms of settlement that the ES seeks to foist on the situation he has created, a statement issued by Solicitors to Prime Schools Kano, signed by Femi Sunmonu, said on Saturday.
‘’For the avoidance of doubt, our client has not agreed to any out-of-court settlement at this time.
‘’Any ‘agreement’ will be only via a just, honest and transparent process and not by coercion. And only with the Legal representatives accompanied by specifically authorized representatives of the School.
‘’The inconvenience of closure notwithstanding, Prime College is committed to assertion of its legal rights before the courts of the land properly constituted.
Recall that Priime College Kano had raised strong objections to what it described as an “unlawful attempt” by the Kano State Private and Voluntary Institutions Board (PVIB) to shut down its operations following a dispute over school fees.
The school said it was compelled to speak out after being served with a perpetual order from the Kano Magistracy directing a reversal of its 2025/26 fee increase and suspension of operations.
It said that in July 2025, Prime College announced an adjustment in fees for the 2025/26 academic year, citing inflation and the need to maintain teaching quality and infrastructure.
The management said flexible payment plans were made available to parents, assuring that no child would be denied education for inability to pay.
According to the school, over 94% of parents complied with the new rates. However, fewer than 20 parents rejected the increment, labelling the school “exploitative” and petitioning PVIB to intervene.
The statement said that the PVIB Executive Secretary, Malam Baba Abubakar Umar, visited the school in the company of some parents and appointed an interim caretaker PTA committee of eight parents and five teachers.
The committee reportedly voted in favour of the fee increase. Yet, the PVIB later declared the deliberations “inconclusive” and issued directives for the fees to be reversed.
Prime College management said efforts to engage the PVIB leadership were met with “abuse, denigration, and public embarrassment.”
On Wednesday, September 17, the school was served with an order from the Kano Magistracy halting implementation of the new fees.
“No such directive was given in the order or derivable from its contents,” the statement read.
Prime College said it is pursuing legal redress and reaffirmed its commitment to lawful operations, while warning that suspending the education of innocent children is unjust.
“It is unfair to suspend the education of innocent children even for one day, let alone for weeks, without hearing our side of the matter,” the statement added.