The Association of Tutorial School Operators has called on the Federal Government to recognise tutorial centres as partners in the education sector and leverage their expertise to improve the standard of education in the country.
The association said the tutorial centres had an important role to play in supporting the government in strengthening the education system through imparting knowledge and discipline.
Speaking on Friday at the 2026 Most Brilliant Contest Grand Finale organised by the association in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the National President of the association, Prince Idowu Adewale, said the association was committed to maintaining high standards of education and ensuring that its members did not engage in examination malpractices.
He said, “The role of tutorial centres is beyond what people have seen or tagged us in the past. We are not a shadow industry but partners in progress in the education sector.”
“We support students aspiring to pursue higher education. We want the government to bring us into the system and recognise our value rather than seeing us as outsiders. Government can tap into the resources and expertise we possess.”
Adewale, however, said the association was working with security agencies, including the Department of State Services and the police, to rid the tutorial centre operators of criminal elements.
“This association will no longer condone illegality in whatever form. We will do everything possible to support the government to eradicate examination malpractice or reduce it to the barest minimum,” he stated.
The ATSO president also urged government and other stakeholders to look beyond the activities of a few bad operators and recognise the contribution of responsible tutorial centres to education.
Adewale explained that the competition was organised to reward students for hard work and diligence and to promote academic excellence and the development of education in Nigeria, adding that the initiative was premised on the belief that brilliant students should be encouraged and rewarded for their achievements.
In his remarks, the immediate past national president of the association, Michael Shodunke, said the competition was designed to make academically inclined youths stars.
He added that outstanding individuals were also celebrated in beauty and other competitions.
Shodunke said the motive behind the initiative was to encourage young people to become more committed to their studies and develop a culture of hard work.
“We are making youths become stars through academics. As a result, some of them have become more hardworking.
“We want to encourage them to read, not only for the purpose of gaining admission into higher institutions,” he said.
The ATSO Governor in Ondo State, Samuel Ologun, said the competition was organised primarily to celebrate academic excellence, which he described as one of the core values of the association.
