From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The sledgehammer of the Delta State Government on Thursday fell on private lessons operators in the state following an order of immediate closure of such lecture centres.
Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Patrick Ukah, who handed down the order in Asaba, said the move was to regulate operations of the centres.
Private lecture centres extra academic classes for pupils and students especially those preparing for certificate and entrance examinations including WASSCE and UTME.
But speaking during a visit by members of the state Child Rights Implementation Committee, Ukah accused private lessons operators of turning their centres into places of child abuse and miracle centres.
The commissioner said the centres were operating during the day in contravention of laid down education guidelines for extramural classes to operate purely as evening lessons.
He insisted that there was a need to regulate their activities so as not to end up endangering the future of the children.
According to him, operators would now approach the ministry for documentation and regularisation of their operations.
Ukah ordered the Inspectorate and Quality Assurance of the ministry to ensure strict compliance with the directive.
The order closing down the lesson centres is coming on the heels of a protest by proprietors of private schools over multiple taxes being demanded by the state government.