Oyo faces education crisis as over 670,000 children remain out of school

2026-03-29 - 21:43

By Adeola Badru IBADAN — Education stakeholders in Oyo State have raised alarm over a deepening basic education crisis, warning that hundreds of thousands of children remain out of school despite recent government interventions and funding commitments. Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement organised by Educare Trust and the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA) over the weekend, Programme Director of Educare Trust, Folorunsho Moshood, described the state as presenting “a troubling paradox of progress and persistent systemic failure.” “Oyo State has made strides in expanding access to basic education and modernising classrooms, yet faces a learning crisis and high exclusion rates,” he said, stressing that “these challenges require urgent, coordinated national and sub-national responses.” According to data from the 2022/2023 Annual School Census, Oyo has one of the largest student populations in south-west Nigeria, second only to Lagos, with over two million pupils in public primary schools alone. However, the state still records the highest number of out-of-school children in the region, with about 20.1 per cent of children aged 3 to 17—approximately 674,324—excluded from education. “This is not just a state concern; it is a national emergency,” Moshood said. He cited poverty, distance, hidden costs, and lack of interest as structural drivers requiring stronger policy enforcement and social protection measures. While the government recently announced that 60,000 children had been returned to classrooms, stakeholders stressed that the figure represents only a fraction of those still excluded. On infrastructure, Moshood noted that many public schools remain inadequate, lacking usable classrooms, toilets, WASH facilities, functional libraries, and sporting amenities—all of which hinder effective teaching and learning. “Where the environment is not conducive, learning cannot thrive. This is a fundamental issue of quality, not just access,” he said. Stakeholders also raised concerns about uneven teacher distribution, particularly in rural areas, and gaps in special education. “Qualified teachers are reluctant to accept postings to underserved communities, leaving rural pupils at a disadvantage,” Moshood added. Despite government efforts, including the payment of over N3.5 billion in counterpart funding to access Universal Basic Education Commission grants, stakeholders insisted that funding must translate into measurable outcomes. Concerns were also raised over the stalled implementation of the national intervention targeting out-of-school children. Under a 2025 initiative by the National Commission on Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, Oyo captured only 7,768 children—just 29 per cent of the 27,000 target. Moshood warned that delays in the programme risk eroding public confidence and undermining future interventions. The stakeholders called for stronger accountability mechanisms, improved student welfare systems—including more guidance counsellors—and sustained engagement with communities. “Ensuring that every child has access not just to schooling, but to quality education, is fundamental to Nigeria’s future. Anything less risks deepening inequality and weakening the nation’s human capital development,” they concluded.