The Lagos State Government, through its Agency for Mass Education, says it will start to shut down all unregistered tutorial and continuing educational centres (CECs) in state from September 11.

Obafela Bank-Olemoh, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, said this on Tuesday in Lagos.

Mr. Bank-Olemoh said the closure was necessitated by the refusal of some operators of tutorial and continuing educational centres to comply with the state’s directive to register their centres and pay up their annual dues after several notices from the state.

He said in a statement that the government had suspended an earlier clampdown on such centres after a closed-door meeting with stakeholders in the sector on September 26, 2016.

According to him, the stakeholders agreed to cooperate with the state in its pursuit of standardising the educational sector in line with international best practices.

“They pledged their commitment to improving the quality of education in the state by maintaining high-level standards and professionalism.

“Failure of the tutorial and continuing educational centres to comply with the state government’s directive after several follow -up engagements has led to the resolve to commence the clampdown.

“It will be carried out through the Agency for Mass Education, in line with Edict No. 2, Section 4.3 of 1991 that mandates the agency to control the activities of all tutorial and continuing educational centres in the state.

“Lagos residents enrol in these tutorial centres and as government; we must ensure that quality service is delivered to our people.

“We must set standards and enforce them,” he said.

Mr. Bank-Olemoh, however, urged operators of tutorial and continuing educational centres across the state to register with the Agency for Mass Education and comply with all laid down regulations, including payment of stipulated fees, to avoid being shut down.

(NAN)