Kwara govt orders closure of unapproved IJMB coaching centres across 16LGAs
In a bid to sanitise the educational sector, the Kwara State Government has mandated the shutting of all unapproved coaching centres in all the 16LGAs of the state.
The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, while disclosing this on Friday at the ministry’s conference hall in Ilorin, the state capital, expressed her displeasure over the proliferation of unapproved Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) coaching centres in the State.
According to her, the state government has the best records on the IJMB programmes and would maintain the quality and standard of education in the state.
She also reiterated that only nine schools were approved for the IJMB programmes in the State, adding that the centres have conducive learning environments.
The approved institutions for the programme include the Kwara State University (KWASU) Malete, Kwara State College of Education, Oro, Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, De-wise College of Basic and Remedial Studies, Kwara State Polytechnic Ilorin, Thomas Adewumi University Oko, Al-Hikmah University and Ojaja University, both in Ilorin.
In his remarks, the Director of Continued Education in the Ministry, Elder Babatunde Afolayan, while promising to enforce the order with immediate effect, stated the need for the Ministry to sanitise the system and uphold the educational values of the state.
Also, the head of the IJMB programme in KWASU, Professor Stephen Afolabi, commended the state government for taking the stand against unapproved coaching centres, saying, “We are grateful that illegal centres will be eradicated and we shall cooperate with the State government to improve the quality of education in the State of Harmony.”