Oyo: Stakeholders x-ray female students’ performance in externally conducted examinations

Stakeholders have x-rayed the disparities in the performance of female students in the externally conducted examinations in secondary schools across the 33 local government areas of Oyo State.

It was noted that while some schools are making steady progress in terms of performance, the reverse is the case in some local government areas.

The One Life Initiative, at the launching of the Vol 11 State of Girl Child Education report: Spotlights LGAs where girls are performing poorly in Oyo State, unveiled the report on the state of Girl-child education in Ibadan, noted disparities in Girl child performance in external examination in various local government areas.

The launch, which had in attendance representatives from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology; Ministry of Women Affairs; Civil Society Organisations; Education Networks; public secondary school teachers and students from eight public schools in Oyo State, reinforced the collective commitment to advancing educational outcomes for girls.

The report, covering the 2023 and 2024 academic cycles, provides a rigorous assessment of girl child education across Oyo State’s public secondary schools, leveraging data sourced from NECO SSCE and WASSCE national examinations. 

While the findings highlight notable progress in certain areas, they also expose persistent disparities and critical challenges.

Sola Fagorusi, Executive Director of One Life Initiative, in his presentation, noted that “What is worrisome is that the drivers of these performances in Saki East remain unclear and are not easily replicable in other areas where girls are consistently underperforming

“Our biggest win will be knowing that this report informs decisions that lead to impactful interventions for the growing population of girls in Oyo State’s secondary schools and beyond.

“The key findings showed that Saki East Local Government Area stood out for its consistently high performance in local and national terminal exams (NECO and WASSCE) over the last three years. In contrast, LGAs such as Ibarapa North, Iwajowa, Irepo, and Iseyin reported alarming low progression rates, with up to 90% of girls failing to achieve the required credits for advancement in some cases. 

“The specific factors underpinning Saki East’s success remain elusive, underscoring a need for further examination and tailored replication strategies for low-performing LGAs.”

In his address, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Segun Olayiwola, represented by Mr. Kayode Okesade, Local Inspector of Education, Ibadan North remarked that “Onelife Initiative is one of the leading non-governmental organisations leading the course of improved service and resources to better the lots of girls’ education.

He also emphasised the state’s ongoing commitment to girl child welfare, including the annual commemoration of Menstrual Hygiene Day and the Day of the Girl Child through the Office of the First Lady.

Speaking in the same vein, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Hon. (Mrs) Toyin Balogun, represented by Bola Dada, Deputy Director of Child Welfare, highlighted the importance of the Ministry’s initiatives, such as the Back-to-School Programme, which identifies and reenrolls girls who have dropped out across all 33 LGAs through partnerships with both state and non-state actors. The report urges sustained collaboration between government, civil society, and philanthropic networks, pointing out high-impact areas for investment and the potential of targeted interventions to drive transformative change. 

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