As Minister of Education, his powers do not extend to dictating the internal operational costs of private schools, particularly in areas such as textbook procurement and graduation ceremonies. Private schools are registered businesses that operate under existing education laws and market principles; they set their fees, choose their instructional materials, and organize school events based on agreements with parents. The minister’s regulatory authority is primarily limited to public schools and, in some cases, unity schools where the federal government is the proprietor.
Therefore, attempting to impose blanket directives on private schools under the pretext of reducing parents’ financial burden oversteps this mandate and raises questions about policy consistency and enforcement. If the goal is truly to support parents, meaningful engagement, clear legal backing, and targeted reforms within public education would be more effective than broad pronouncements that leave parents and schools confused and pitted against one another.