The Kwara State Government has cautioned proprietors of private coaching centres to stop luring students away from public schools under the guise of preparing them for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The Executive Director of the Agency for Mass Education, Saka Yusuf, issued the warning on Tuesday during a meeting with the leadership of the Association of Private Coaching Centres of Nigeria.
In a statement by the agency’s Press Secretary, Anigilaje Rasheedat, the government described the practice as a violation of education regulations, stressing that offenders would face legal consequences.
Despite ongoing awareness campaigns, Yusuf lamented that some coaching centres continue to poach students, particularly those in Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3), Senior Secondary 1 (SS1), and Senior Secondary 2 (SS2), a move he warned could disrupt their education and harm their academic future.
“Henceforth, coaching centres should not take students from schools and register them as conventional students,” Yusuf stated. “This practice directly violates the state’s education ordinance. Coaching centre proprietors must complement, not undermine, the government’s efforts to improve education standards in Kwara State.”
Supporting the government’s directive, the President of the Association of Private Coaching Centres of Nigeria, Mr. Olumide Agboola, emphasized that any centre found violating the rules should be sanctioned. Similarly, Mr. Thomas Adebiyi, the Proprietor of Gama Tutors, assured authorities that coaching centres would comply with the new directives and uphold ethical educational practices.
The Kwara State Government has reiterated its commitment to enforcing education laws and ensuring that coaching centres operate within regulatory frameworks to protect students’ academic growth.