Oyo State is set to launch massive classroom projects across its 33 local government areas.
SUBEB says new constructions, renovations, and school furniture will boost basic education statewide.
The Executive Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Nureni Adeniran, has announced that the board is set to begin extensive construction and renovation of classrooms in public schools across the 33 Local Government Areas of the state.
Dr. Adeniran made this known on Wednesday during the Omituntun 2.0 Inter-Ministerial Briefing at the Governor’s Office in Agodi, Ibadan. According to a statement released Thursday by Governor Seyi Makinde’s Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the board has secured the necessary approvals to execute a series of projects aimed at improving basic education in Oyo.
Highlighting the achievements of the Makinde-led administration, Adeniran noted that its policies in the education sector particularly at the primary and junior secondary school levels have led to a significant reduction in infrastructure deficits and an improvement in the overall quality of education.
He stated that these gains have been achieved through sustained investments in teacher recruitment and training, construction and renovation of school buildings, and provision of furniture and other learning materials.
“In his first term, Governor Makinde paid counterpart funds to UBEC for 2019, 2020, and 2021, which enabled SUBEB to embark on various development initiatives. These included training for 13,859 teaching and non-teaching staff, construction of 289 classroom blocks, 60 model schools, and renovation of 229 classrooms,” Adeniran said.
He added that the board also provided 22,962 desks and benches for students, 1,189 furniture units for teachers, drilled 138 boreholes, and supplied digital and mobility tools such as 33 motorcycles, 30 desktop computers, and 33 digital tablets to enhance school operations.
Dr. Adeniran emphasized that the administration’s vision of drastically reducing the number of out-of-school children is becoming a reality, with over 60,000 children already returned to classrooms.
He further disclosed that the state government has paid its counterpart funding for 2022 and 2023, unlocking over ₦2.6 billion in matching grants from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
“With these funds, the board has received the green light to commence new projects in public basic schools. These will include constructing 41 blocks of classrooms, renovating 60 existing ones, building seven perimeter fences, drilling 30 boreholes, and supplying 5,828 desks and benches for pupils, along with 473 tables and chairs for teachers and 910 sports equipment,” he said.
In addition to these, the state will also benefit from a special reward fund it received for participating in the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) program a federal initiative aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children.
According to Adeniran, the reward will be used solely for infrastructure in public primary schools, based on the directive of Governor Makinde.
“Through the BESDA fund, we plan to build 28 new blocks of classrooms, renovate 29 others, construct four-compartment toilet facilities with deep wells, sink 16 boreholes equipped with tanks and stands, and procure 2,922 desks and benches for students and 182 furniture units for teachers,” he explained.
The board assured that these projects will commence soon and will be evenly spread across all 33 local government areas, marking another step forward in the state’s commitment to enhancing educational access and quality.
