The Chairman of Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Hon. Seun Olufade, has distributed educational materials worth several millions of naira to pupils in 73 public primary schools across the council.
The distributed items include 800 seats and desks, packs of chalk and board markers, 300 school bags, and 200 pairs of school sandals, all aimed at improving the learning environment and easing the challenges faced by pupils and teachers.
Speaking during the symbolic presentation held at the council secretariat on Thursday, the Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Nureni Adeniran, commended Hon. Olufade for the initiative, describing it as a monumental effort to strengthen the state government’s drive towards quality education and the eradication of the “no-seat” challenge in public schools.
Dr Adeniran noted that the intervention would significantly alleviate the difficulties faced by public primary schools within the local government.
“With this arrangement, no school will get less than 10 benches and desks. This will go a long way to assist teaching and learning. I can confidently say that there will no longer be any public primary school in Ibadan North where children sit on the floor or lack furniture,” he stated.
He further commended the inclusion of school bags, sandals, chalks and board markers, adding that these would collectively enhance the quality of education and improve pupils’ classroom experience.
While addressing teachers, Dr. Adeniran urged them to ensure that the items are distributed transparently and used strictly for their intended purposes.
“The school bags and sandals are meant for pupils, not for private use. The chalks must not be sold, and the furniture should remain within our public primary schools,” he warned.
The OyoSUBEB chairman also appealed to teachers to comply with the newly introduced timetable for reading and writing sessions in public primary schools, explaining that the policy was designed to help pupils develop literacy skills early.
“They should assist pupils in learning to read and write as the timetable specifies. This is part of the state’s renewed focus on literacy and foundational education,” he added.
He expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde for his continued support of the education sector and for providing an enabling environment for local governments to function effectively.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser on Education to the Governor, Hon. Suraj Tiamiyu, praised the initiative, describing it as a progressive step towards improving the teaching and learning process across the state.
In his address welcome, Hon. Olufade said the gesture was part of his administration’s commitment to supporting pupils and ensuring a conducive learning environment.
“Our goal is to make sure no child is denied comfort or concentration in class because of lack of basic materials,” he said, urging the pupils to take their studies seriously and work hard to achieve their dreams.
He also encouraged other local government chairmen across the state to replicate such initiatives to further advance the standard of education in the state.
