One tutorial centre operator, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, argued that those of them in the business were only helping students stay in touch with what they had been thought in school but were gradually forgetting due to the long closure of schools.
In defiance to government's order on social gathering, which is part of measures put in place to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria, operators of tutorial centres in Ondo State have continued to open their facilities to students of all ages especially those seeking admission into higher institutions without recourse to safety guidelines.
SaharaReporters gathered that some of the tutorial centres charge between N200 to N2000 depending on the educational level of pupils.
Recently, officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps visited some of these tutorial centres in Akure and arrested operators for flouting government's order.
One tutorial centre operator, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, argued that those of them in the business were only helping students stay in touch with what they had been thought in school but were gradually forgetting due to the long closure of schools.
A Junior Secondary School student in one of the public schools of the state, who simply identified himself as Ayomide, told SaharaReporters that his parents brought up the idea of attending the tutorial centre since schools were still closed.
Reacting to the development, leader of the Association of Tutorials Operators in the state, Mr Bankole Fisayo, said he had warned members of the association to stop holding coaching centres for students due to COVID-19 outbreak but some, mostly in populated areas, were still disobeying that order.
Ayodeji Olufemi, spokesperson for the NSCDC in Ondo State said he would wait till Monday before officially reacting on the issue.
ATSO is a registered organisation whose activities is controlled by the Board of Adult and Technical Education in the Ondo State Ministry of Education.
A management staff of the board refused to speak on the matter when contacted by SaharaReporters.
Mr Femi Agagu, Commissioner for Education in the state, did not respond to calls put across to him by our correspondent on the issue.