The Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has announced plans to launch an extensive construction and renovation drive in public basic schools across all 33 local government areas of the state. Executive Chairman Dr. Nureni Adeniran disclosed this during the Omituntun 2.0 inter-ministerial briefing at the Governor’s Office in Agodi, Ibadan.
In a statement issued by the Governor’s media adviser, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Adeniran revealed that SUBEB has obtained approval to initiate additional projects aimed at closing the educational infrastructure gap. He emphasized that since 2019, when Governor Seyi Makinde took office, consistent payment of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) counterpart funds has enabled the board to make significant progress in improving school facilities and human capacity.
Adeniran highlighted that the administration has prioritized staff development, recruiting thousands of teachers alongside training 13,859 teaching and non-teaching personnel. Infrastructure gains have included the construction of 289 classroom blocks, establishment of 60 model schools, renovation of 229 classrooms, and procurement of nearly 23,000 desks and 1,189 pieces of teachers’ furniture. Additionally, 138 boreholes have been sunk across the state, and ICT capabilities bolstered with motorcycles for oversight, desktop computers, and digital tablets.
He noted that these efforts have contributed to the return of over 60,000 out-of-school children a milestone consistent with the state’s commitment to expanding access to basic education.
According to Adeniran, counterpart payments for 2022 and 2023 surpassed N2.6 billion, enabling SUBEB to embark on new projects. These include plans to build 41 classroom blocks, erect seven perimeter fences, drill 30 boreholes, deliver more than 5,800 desks and benches, furnish 473 teacher workstations, and renovate 60 additional classrooms.
In a further bid to extend its impact, Oyo State will reinvest funds earned from its strong performance in the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) programme. These rewards will support the construction of 28 classroom blocks, refurbishment of 29 others, installation of four-section toilet blocks with deep wells, 16 boreholes with tanks, and the procurement of nearly 3,000 school desks and over 180 teacher sets covering all 33 councils.
Dr. Adeniran affirmed that the planned upgrades will bolster both infrastructure and educational outcomes statewide. “These collective efforts will significantly enhance learning environments across our public basic schools,” he stated.
