Lagos Expands Education Access Beyond Traditional Classrooms

The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to broadening access to education beyond conventional classroom settings, positioning Continuing Education Centres (CECs) and alternative learning pathways as vital instruments for tackling skills gaps, improving employability, and creating wider opportunities for lifelong learning across the state.

Speaking at the 2026 Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting on Continuing Education held at the Debt Management Office in Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Sule, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Adeniran Kasali, said continuing education remains a critical pillar of inclusiveness and social mobility in Lagos State.

According to Sule, structured alternative learning platforms such as CECs and tutorial centres provide opportunities for individuals who may not have passed through formal school systems to still attain academic and professional success.

He stressed that non-traditional educational pathways have produced accomplished professionals and academics, including professors, underscoring the importance of expanding access to flexible learning systems.

Referencing the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Sule noted that alternative education routes can significantly transform lives.

“Professor Oloyede told us that he never attended any secondary school. He must have gone through several private tutorial centres to gain access, pass his GCE, and secure admission into university, eventually becoming a professor,” he said.

The commissioner described continuing education as a framework built on access, opportunity, and future security, especially for young people navigating evolving educational and technological realities.

He added that the success of the system depends heavily on effective quality assurance mechanisms, including proper supervision, evaluation, and monitoring of instructional standards.

Sule also praised the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for sustaining investments in education and innovation, particularly in areas linked to artificial intelligence readiness and digital transformation across tertiary institutions in the state.

In her remarks, the Director of the Agency for Mass Education, Mrs. Oluwakemi Kalsanwo, described the stakeholders’ meeting as a strategic platform designed to strengthen collaboration, identify operational gaps, and improve the effectiveness and geographical spread of continuing education centres across Lagos.

Kalsanwo explained that although CECs and tutorial centres are privately operated, the government retains a strong regulatory role through approvals and compliance monitoring to ensure standards are maintained.

She expressed optimism that future engagements would focus more on measurable achievements recorded in expanding educational access and improving service delivery.

She further stressed that continuing education remains essential for addressing the needs of out-of-school children, youths who did not complete secondary education, and adults seeking to improve their qualifications.

“Because we need to put into consideration the category of people that these centres help. These are children and youths that are out of school, and adults who never had the opportunity to complete their ordinary level. In Lagos State, we do not want to leave anybody behind,” she said.