Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has flagged off the distribution of motorcycles to School Support Officers and School Mobilisation Officers, alongside 72,000 notebooks to learners, under the Better Education Service Delivery for All Additional Financing – Transforming Education Systems at State Level Project, covering all 33 local government areas of the state. The event, held on Monday, October 5, 2026, at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan, was attended by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Segun Olayiwola, the Chairperson of the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, Mrs Olubukola Oladipo, and the Executive Assistant to the Governor on BESDA, Olatoye Olusina, among others.
Represented by his deputy, Barrister Bayo Lawal, the governor described the intervention as a practical investment in the people and structures that support children's learning. He noted that school support and mobilisation officers serve as a critical link between schools, families and communities, playing a vital role in identifying out-of-school children, encouraging enrolment and retention, and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn. "By providing motorcycles, we are helping these officers reach communities more promptly and carry out their responsibilities with greater efficiency," Makinde said. He stressed that the motorcycles are public assets entrusted to the beneficiaries to serve communities, and urged them to use the vehicles responsibly and strictly for official duties.
Speaking on the distribution of the notebooks, the governor said access to basic learning materials would support learners and reinforce the shared commitment to improving learning conditions. He added that such materials make a real difference in pupils' ability to participate in lessons and complete their work with ease. "The distribution of 72,000 notebooks and access to basic learning materials would support learners and reinforce the shared commitment to improving learning conditions," Makinde said. "Such materials make a real difference in pupils' ability to participate in lessons and complete their work with ease." He further stated that the initiative, implemented under BESDA AF-TESS, complements broader efforts by the state government and its partners to strengthen basic education and improve learning outcomes across Oyo State.
The governor called on school authorities, parents, community leaders and other stakeholders to collaborate with the officers to ensure the benefits reach the children who need them most. He also encouraged the pupils to make good use of the learning materials, attend school regularly and remain committed to their studies. "Your education is important to your future and to the continued progress of Oyo State," he said. In his welcome address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education Intervention, Oloye Suraj Abiola Tiamiy, said the intervention would strengthen school-community linkages, improve enrolment and attendance, and enable officers to identify and return out-of-school children to classrooms. He disclosed that the BESDA AF-TESS Project had also distributed 18,000 tablets to teachers to support teaching and professional development, and renovated 209 public primary schools across Oyo State, describing the initiative as a broad investment in teachers, schools and communities.
The figures reported across the various interventions reflect a deliberate and sustained effort by the Oyo State Government to address the challenges that have historically constrained basic education in the state. The BESDA-AF programme has been credited with returning about 65,000 out-of-school children to classrooms, a development that the government has consistently highlighted as evidence of the programme's effectiveness. In addition to the current distribution, the state has constructed 60 model schools across Oyo State under the Oyo SUBEB-UBEC intervention programme and recruited 5,000 secondary school teachers in 2021. The government has also partnered with UNICEF to establish the Nigeria Learning Passport, a digital education platform designed to expand access to learning resources for teachers and pupils.
The distribution of motorcycles to school support and mobilisation officers addresses a critical logistical challenge in the state's education monitoring system. These officers are responsible for identifying out-of-school children, encouraging enrolment and retention, and maintaining the link between schools, families and communities. Without reliable means of transportation, their ability to reach remote communities and rural areas is severely constrained, limiting the effectiveness of the state's enrolment drive. The provision of motorcycles is expected to significantly enhance their mobility and enable them to cover more ground, particularly in hard-to-reach areas where out-of-school children are most concentrated.
The distribution of notebooks, meanwhile, addresses a different but equally fundamental barrier to learning. For many pupils in public schools across Oyo State, the lack of basic learning materials such as notebooks can undermine their ability to participate effectively in lessons and complete their assignments. By providing 72,000 notebooks, the state government is seeking to ensure that pupils have the tools they need to engage with their studies, regardless of their family's financial circumstances. The initiative is part of a broader effort to reduce the indirect costs of education that often deter families from sending their children to school or keeping them enrolled.
The political context of the initiative is significant. The 2027 general elections are less than four months away, with the governorship election in Oyo State scheduled for February 6, 2027. Governor Makinde is completing his second and final term in office and is contesting the presidency on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement, with former Director-General of the Department of State Services Lawal Daura as his running mate. The distribution of education materials and motorcycles is consistent with his administration's broader emphasis on education as a central pillar of its Omituntun 2.0 agenda. The government has consistently framed its investments in education as evidence of its commitment to human capital development, and the BESDA AF-TESS programme is one of several initiatives it cites as proof of delivery.
For the people of Oyo State, the initiative represents a tangible improvement in the conditions under which basic education is delivered. For the 33 beneficiaries of the motorcycles, the vehicles provide the mobility required to perform their duties effectively. For the pupils who receive the notebooks, the materials offer immediate relief and a better opportunity to engage with their lessons. For the state government, the distribution is another demonstration of its stated commitment to making education more accessible, inclusive and effective. As Makinde put it, the intervention reflects the administration's determination to reach communities more promptly, identify out-of-school children, encourage enrolment and ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn. The coming months will determine whether these interventions translate into measurable improvements in enrolment, attendance and learning outcomes across Oyo State.
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