Edo school license withdrawal follows tragic death of Nathan Spencer, prompting outrage as government moves to hold negligent school owners accountable
Edo school license withdrawal has caused a storm across the state following the heartbreaking death of 12-year-old Nathan Paul Spencer.
Also read: Edo State Governor declares emergency in schools amid complaints from Evbareke secondary school
The pupil reportedly drowned while on his way to write the Middle Basic Assessment Examination during a heavy downpour on Saturday, 5 July 2025.
Nathan had been registered for the examination by his school but was assigned to sit for it at another school in Egor Local Government Area, far from his residence in Ovia.
Shockingly, his parents were not informed of the arrangement. The decision by the school’s head to reroute the child without consent led to a chain of events that ended in tragedy.
While attempting to trek to the new exam location through flooded streets, the boy fell into an open gutter and drowned. This development triggered a swift response from the Edo State Government.
The Commissioner for Education, Paddy Iyamu, who visited Nathan’s grieving parents, delivered condolences on behalf of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
“The death of this young child is completely unacceptable. The state government has shut down the two private schools involved. One of the school heads has been arrested,” Iyamu said.
The commissioner further disclosed that a full investigation had exposed negligence and unethical practices by the school.
Nathan’s parents had paid an examination fee, believing their son would take the exam nearby. Instead, the school misled the family and sent the child to a centre far from home without supervision or transportation.
“This tragedy is the result of irresponsible school management. We are not only shutting the schools down, but we will also hold everyone involved accountable under the law,” Iyamu assured.
The case has ignited public outrage, especially among parents who now question the safety and integrity of private school operators across the state.
The state’s education authorities are under increasing pressure to enforce stricter compliance in both registration and supervision of examination centres.
Adding to the concern, Commissioner Iyamu also revealed that two additional private schools are being shut down for unrelated but serious offences.
These institutions allegedly collected illegal fees from over 200 students under the pretence of arranging examination centres, then diverted the payments into the state’s Internally Generated Revenue account without authorisation.
The illegal actions left scores of children stranded in the rain on exam day, until officials from the Ministry of Education intervened.
According to Iyamu, this highlights a growing issue of unscrupulous school owners exploiting education for profit.
“Parents must be vigilant. Too many of these so-called school proprietors are hustlers in disguise. They put children at risk for personal gain,” Iyamu said during his visit.
For Nathan’s family, no official action can undo the pain of their loss. The state’s commitment to accountability, however, is seen as a step toward preventing future tragedies.
Many residents are calling for more comprehensive regulation and monitoring of private schools to avoid such negligence from recurring.
A local resident, who asked not to be named, said, “We trust schools to keep our children safe. This boy’s death is not just tragic. It is enraging. The people responsible must face justice.”
Also read: Edo State begins profiling of property owners in New City Development Area
While the government continues its investigation, the affected schools remain shut. There is now renewed urgency to cleanse the educational system of bad actors and reassert the core purpose of learning institutions—safety, discipline, and the nurturing of young minds.
