How to be a successful school owner

In Nigeria, private schools are becoming very rampant, mostly nursery schools and primary schools. With the current rise of basic schools in Nigeria, it is possible to estimate that in the next 20 years, private schools can be located in almost every 500m in every given location in the country.

While this is an appreciative development because it has created a competition which has gingered many owners who previously dived into such establishments due to profit to now look and peer into value as students and pupils leave when they find better schools offering better and competitive values around, we also need to consider such vital steps for creating value and succeeding as value-based owners before commencing such establishments.

To many, perceptionally starting up a School in Nigeria is easy. Well, yes it's easy to start up a quack school as long as you have enough funding for camouflage and deception. However, being a successful school owner or becoming one entails more than just capital investment, there are other key areas to watch and build in order to achieve this aim and stand out amidst thousands of seemingly successful schools who have little Academic value.

Let's look at 5 ways to be a successful school owner in Nigeria.

1... Be Principled
You must be principled In all your dealings as a school owner. Your principled nature should reflect in how you discharge your duties as an employer and a Director of your school. Understand that expectations are high and so many people are looking up to you or would want to look up to you. Also,  be official in your dealings. Leave pleasantries when it comes to work. Even if you have kids who are your very own kids in the school, try as much as possible to jilt favouritism. Deal with them the very same way you would deal with others when it comes to academic relationships. They're your kids at home and your students in school. This is one way a principled school owner reflects this asset and thus increases chances of gaining more students.


2... Ensure Discipline
Some students would give you tough time, depending on your level of engagement with the school and what level of school it is you're running. If you're a director who just visits once in a while perhaps once per term, you may not witness or have this problem with stubborn kids or the associated stress of teaching block-heads, you may only hear a few reports from your staff if your position allows that. But if you're a principal or even a teacher in your school then, you would have to witness full effect of this. Also, this problem of troublesome kids increases more with secondary school Students or even pupils or primary 5 and 6. Now, this is where you'd need to effect severe discipline. Discipline is one serious aspect of school development and to succeed as an owner you must look intently into it. Ensure that your teachers discipline students at all times when they offend, also ensure that you have a code of conduct which is signed by every parent and their wards from the inception of admittance or registration.


3... Be Jovial with students, Pupils and Parents
While you want to be principled and disciplined in your actions, you do not want to scare people away from you. You do not want to be seen as overly strict or unapproachable. Try to be a generally jovial person who only disciplines when necessary. When students of your school understand you as being approachable,  they could confide in you about certain problems they face in your school which you could work own to create a better learning platform. This in effect even attracts more and more parents from positive gossips to bring their kids to your school.


4... Employ qualified staff
Staff qualification is another important aspect of education. Qualified and competent staff guarantee quality education and of course you should know this attracts pupils and students who naturally have an affinity for quality teaching. It wouldn't be a wise decision employing unqualified staffs perhaps because you're trying to be economic when apparently it's clear you can afford to get and maintain good teaching staffs. Well, this aspect should be part of your business plan, there should be a part that states the minimum qualifications each staff or staffs who would handle specific positions should have before being employed. When your teachers teach well, your students are proud to brag to their friends and peers of how well their teachers can teach and how better off their school are than theirs.


5... Ensure a Conducive Environment

Environmental factor is the very first thing conscious parents check when they visit any school for the enrollment of their kids. Most parents take a brief survey of the environment before deciding on whether or not to go forward with pushing their kids in. A noisy environment would neither attract parents nor students because logically there would be zero concentration. Also a dirty environment perhaps one situated nearby a waste disposal unit or a borrow pit even if it is just few miles away is definitely not a good one and even if you have recruited students already, in due time they would leave when they find better places because parents are very much concerned about the hygiene and health of their children. Additionally, your extended environment might be clean and conducive but what about internal sanitation? It needs to be properly checked!

Best regards from Michaels