Education
We ‘ll recruit more teachers – Makinde
Oyo state governor, Engr Oluseyi Makinde on Saturday said his administration would soon be hiring trained teachers to strengthen quality education in public schools.
Governor Makinde who vowed to reclaim the lost glory of the education sector in Oyo State by collaborating with different stakeholders to uplift the sector, also promised to make the Government College Ibadan (GCI) the poster school in Nigeria.
The Governor, who stated this while speaking at the grand finale of events marking 90th anniversary of GCI, said that his government is intent on restoring the lost glory of education in Oyo State.
A statement by the chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the Governor as saying that the State would soon advertise for the recruitment of teachers.
He stated that his administration would continue to place great importance on the future of the children of Oyo State.
In attendance at the event were the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who is an old student of the school; the president of the Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association (GCIOBA), Dr. Wale Babalakin, SAN; Chief Lekan Are; former Governor Omololu Olunloyo; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Bisi Ilaka, who is also an old student and other government functionaries.
Governor Makinde commended the Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association (GCIOBA) for their contributions towards reclaiming the glory of the historic school, especially the renovation of the old hostels of the school, among others, promising to partner with them to make GCI the poster school of Nigeria.
The Governor also expressed his readiness to collaborate with stakeholders in the education sector to deliver qualitative education, noting that everyone has to come to the table on the policies put in place by the State Government, because the government and the Governor could not do it alone.
Governor Makinde maintained that it had been a challenge for Government to drive its free qualitative education policy because there were corrupt elements trying to frustrate Government.
He insisted, however, that he would not relent in delivering free qualitative education to all students in the State.
The Governor explained that he had sent out fact-finding emissaries to some schools in the State, which discovered that the free textbooks provided by the State were not being distributed to students in some schools, noting that he had already given a directive that the books must reach every student.
“Actually, this brings it down to where we are in the area of education in Oyo State. During my electioneering campaign, I promised the good people of Oyo State free and qualitative education but I knew that the government cannot do it alone. I am happy with the latest developments in GCI and want to promise that the government of Oyo State will partner with you.
“We will soon advertise vacancy to recruit teachers. If the PTA teachers are good enough and have the prerequisite qualifications, they will be employed. But the bottom-line is that the future of our children is at stake here. If we are saying that government is providing certain things and we cannot have value for those things, then it is a big problem and that is what we are faced with right now.
“I am saying boldly here that education is one of the pillars on which this administration is resting on. It is only when we give knowledge to our people; that is when they can take themselves out of poverty,” Governor Makinde said.
“It is a big challenge and I have to come out to say this. When we came in, we scrapped the N3,000 education levy but we have been challenged by those corrupt elements within the education sector. I have heard cases where I was told certain schools were burgled because we scrapped N3,000 but did not provide grants to schools. They said they could not employ guards to secure the school environment. If I look at that school and also look at GCI, where do you think I will put further investment?
“I have also heard about situations where they came back to us and said some certain schools had only five instead of 25 teachers out of which 20 were PTA teachers. They also said they could not pay the PTA teachers because the government stopped them from collecting N3,000 education levy. They never declared to anybody that the levy was the same as PTA levy. So, I said to the Permanent Secretary that we will give Grants to schools but there must be accountability.
“I care about this mandate the people of Oyo State have given to me and I care about the promises I made to the people during my electioneering campaign. So, the challenge is out there and I want to ask that the good people within our midst have to come to the table for the educational policies we are putting in place to succeed.
“If you don’t come to the table, God forbid, Seyi Makinde alone can’t do it. Government alone cannot do it. We need people that can tell us what is going on.
“I have heard some reports, even from this school, that the notebooks and textbooks we sent out were not distributed. I asked them the reason why they were keeping the materials almost mid-way into the first term but they gave excuse of not being able to get the logistics to move those materials from Local Inspectors of Education to the school. And I said to them that I approved money for those materials around the first week of September.
“But there was good news after that encounter. They started the distribution immediately and I think if some of the students are here, they can confirm they have those instructional materials now. So, we need things like that to happen in all the schools in Oyo State.
“What will make the difference for us are not those giant steps but the little ones we take. So, I will partner with the GCIOBA to achieve that objective. I will encourage this school. I am with you all the way and we will together bring back the lost glory in our education sector in Oyo State,” the Governor said.
Also speaking at the occasion, Chairman of GCIOBA, Dr. Wale Babalakin said that the Old Boys Association of GCI have committed over N500 million to the development of the school.
He said that the association would partner with the state government to return boarding system to the school.
According to him, the idea of a GCI as a day school without boarding system was an antithesis.
The Ogun State Government has inaugurated a multi-sectoral Safe Schools Steering Committee as part of renewed efforts to strengthen security architecture across schools in the state amid rising concerns over the safety of pupils, students, and teachers.
The committee is expected to drive the formulation and implementation of policies, strategies, and intervention programmes aimed at preventing security breaches, enhancing emergency preparedness, and ensuring that schools remain safe, stable, and conducive for learning.
Inaugurating the committee in Abeokuta, the state capital, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, described the initiative as a deliberate and strategic response to emerging security challenges in the education sector.
He said the composition of the committee reflected a careful selection of professionals drawn from relevant sectors, based on competence, experience, and institutional responsibility.
According to him, the government recognises that schools can no longer be treated as isolated institutions, but must be protected through coordinated action involving government agencies, security operatives, communities, and development partners.
“The inauguration of the Ogun State Safe Schools Steering Committee is a strategic response aimed at strengthening collaboration among government agencies, security services, communities, development partners and all stakeholders in the education sector,” Arigbabu said.
He stressed that the task before the committee was urgent and non-negotiable, warning that the future of children in the state depended on the quality and timeliness of their decisions.
“As members of this committee, your selection was based on expertise, experience, and institutional responsibilities. This task is both important and urgent. The future of our children depends on the effectiveness of the decisions and actions we take today,” he said.
Arigbabu urged members to discharge their duties with “dedication, professionalism, integrity and a strong sense of purpose,” adding that every school in Ogun State must remain a place of safety, hope, and opportunity rather than fear.
“I therefore charge you to approach this assignment with dedication, professionalism, integrity, and a strong sense of purpose. Let us work together to ensure that every school in Ogun State remains a place of safety, learning, hope, and opportunity,” he added.
Other stakeholders at the inauguration reinforced the need for collective responsibility, stressing that school safety cannot rest on government alone but requires sustained collaboration from all segments of society.
They noted that communities, parents, security agencies, and development partners must work in synergy to safeguard learning environments and protect the future of children.
“As we inaugurate this committee today, let us recognise that school safety is not the responsibility of government alone. It is a shared responsibility requiring partnership, vigilance, innovation, and collective action,” one of the stakeholders said.
“The decisions we take and the commitment we make here today will contribute significantly to shaping the future of thousands of learners across our state,” the stakeholder added.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State Wing, has directed all public primary and secondary school teachers in the state to embark on an indefinite strike over the continued abduction of teachers and pupils.
The strike, which takes effect from Monday, June 1, 2026, is expected to ground academic activities across public schools in the state.
The union said the action became imperative following what it described as growing insecurity in schools and the prolonged captivity of abducted teachers and pupils whose whereabouts remain unknown.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman of the Oyo State Wing of the NUT, Hassan Fatai, and the Secretary, Salami Olukayode, the union expressed concerns over the psychological impact of the incidents on teachers, learners and parents.
According to the union, the lingering abduction cases have created fear and anxiety among teachers, weakened confidence in the safety of schools and discouraged many parents from sending their children to school.
The statement read in part, “The Nigeria Union of Teachers, Oyo State Wing, hereby directs all public primary and secondary school teachers across the state to commence an indefinite strike action effective from Monday, June 1, 2026, pending urgent and decisive action by relevant authorities on the abduction of teachers and pupils.”
The union explained that the industrial action was aimed at compelling the government and security agencies to intensify efforts toward the immediate and unconditional release of the victims.
It urged teachers across the state to comply fully with the directive, remain peaceful and law-abiding, and prioritise their safety while staying away from classrooms during the strike.
The NUT also expressed solidarity with the abducted victims and their families, assuring that it would continue to engage relevant authorities until the victims were safely rescued.
The union reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare, safety and security of teachers and pupils, stressing that the protection of school communities remained non-negotiable.
No fewer than 2,243,816 candidates on Thursday commenced the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board across accredited Computer-Based Test centres nationwide.
The figure represents a 10.5 per cent increase from the 2.03 million candidates recorded in 2025.
The examination, which began on April 16, is being conducted in about 1,000 CBT centres nationwide, with candidates scheduled in four daily sessions to reduce congestion and improve verification processes.
The board said it had deployed biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems to safeguard the integrity of the exercise, noting that candidates whose biometric details could not be authenticated would be rescheduled.
Candidates were advised to print their examination slips from the JAMB portal to confirm their schedules and arrive at least one hour before their examination time.
Under the revised timetable, first-session candidates are expected at 7:00 a.m., followed by 9:00 a.m. for the second session, 11:00 a.m. for the third session, and 2:00 p.m. for the final session.
JAMB disclosed that Lagos State recorded the highest number of registered candidates with 381,814, followed by Ogun with 137,156 and Oyo with 122,662. Kaduna recorded 103,498 candidates, while the Federal Capital Territory had 102,961.
Other states include Rivers with 105,584 candidates and Kano with 83,167, while Borno and Zamfara recorded the lowest figures with 13,483 and 14,861 candidates respectively.
Outside Nigeria, participation remained low, with Côte d’Ivoire recording 32 candidates, followed by Equatorial Guinea with 16, Burkina Faso with 14, and the United Kingdom with 12 candidates.
As part of efforts to enhance efficiency, the board increased the number of CBT centres but delisted 23 centres across several states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Delta, Edo, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory, over technical deficiencies observed during the mock examination.
The board said the action was necessary to maintain operational standards and ensure the credibility of the examination process.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force dismissed reports of insecurity at some centres, describing such claims as unfounded.
The police said it had deployed additional personnel, including patrol teams, perimeter surveillance units and rapid response squads, to ensure the safety of candidates nationwide.
The force added that it was collaborating with other security agencies to monitor the exercise and respond swiftly to any threats.
It assured parents and candidates of adequate security, urging candidates to comply with examination guidelines, arrive early and report suspicious activities.
The police also advised the public to disregard unverified information on social media and rely on official communication channels.
JAMB reiterated its commitment to transparency, warning candidates against accepting admissions outside its Central Admissions Processing System.
It stressed that any admission conducted outside CAPS would be considered illegal and would not be recognised.
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