Kwara orders closure of unaccredited IJMB coaching centres

The Kwara State Government has ordered the closure of some unapproved Interim Joint Matriculation Board coaching centres scattered across the state.

The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr. Mary Arinde, expressed concerns over the proliferation of IJMB centres at a meeting held with all the approved IJMB centres at the Ministry in Ilorin on Thursday.

A statement on Friday by the press secretary in the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Falade Gbenga, quoted Arinde as saying, “The state government has the best records on the IJMB programmes so far and would firmly maintain the quality and standard of education in the state.

“Only nine schools were approved for the IJMB  programmes in the state, adding that the centres have conducive learning environments for students.”

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She emphasised the need to adhere strictly to the rules and regulations of the examination body.

The commissioner listed the IJMB approved institutions to 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.

“The state government has mandated all unapproved coaching centres to be closed down to sanitize the educational sector of the state,” Arinde added.

Also speaking, the Director of Continued Education in the Ministry, Babatunde Afolayan, promised to implement the order immediately, adding that the Ministry would sanitize the system and uphold the educational values of the state.

In his response, the head of the IJMB programme at KWASU, Prof. Stephen Afolabi, commended the state government for taking the stand against unapproved coaching centres that operate in dirty and unconducive learning environments.

“As an approved study centre for the IJMB programme, 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,” Afolabi said.

Similarly, the other eight registered and approved tertiary institutions also pledged their support to the government and promised to abide by the rules and regulations outlined by the regulatory body.