World Bank, FG, Oyo govt set to mop up 1.5 million out-of-school children

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The Oyo State government has declared that over 1.5million remnants of the out-of-school students that have been absorbed into various public schools under the 2017 to 2022 Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA), will be mopped up and brought back to the classrooms under the BESDA-Additional Funding (AF)-Transforming Education System at State level (TESS) programme.

The announcement was made on Monday during the opening of a two-day training programme for the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) on community-driven development approach by the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Adeniyi Olusanjo at Lagelu Grammar School’s Hall in Ibadan.

The BESDA-AF-TESS project is aimed at reducing out-of-school students through physical infrastructural projects and training of teachers for improved teaching practices and learning outcomes.

Olusanjo noted that the programme was targeting mopping up the remaining 1.5 million out-of-school students after those that have been successfully returned to classrooms under the BESDA between 2017 and 2022.

He added that the state enjoyed the privilege of being selected by the Federal government and donor agencies like the World Bank and GPE because of the success achieved by the State under the BESDA programme, adding that the 1.5million figure covered students from far and neighboring States and countries that have come to Oyo State to enjoy the State’s free education policy.

“The TESS programme we are starting now is targeting mopping up the remaining 1.5million pupils that have been identified to have taken residence in Oyo State from far and neighboring States and even beyond the borders of Nigeria, due to the benefits derivable from the State’s free education system.

“Having noticed the success of BESDA between 2017 to 2022 in Oyo State, the World Bank, federal government and GPE decided to pick Oyo State, Adamawa and Katsina State for the new project, which is to deliver the needed equitable access to out-of-school children in Oyo State.”

The State Coordinator of BESDA-AF-TESS, Dr. Bamidele Odekunle said the roles of the School-Based Management Committee was very germane to the success of the new project.

He maintained that the training, superintendent by the Oyo State Community and Social Development Agency (OYCSDA), was to prepare the representatives of the benefiting SBMCs for the work ahead, urging participants to note all the aspects of the training so as to have a seamless implementation.

Members of the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) include School Heads, representatives of teachers, male and female representatives of pupils, male and female representatives of traditional leaders, old pupils and students, Parents, Teachers Association (PTA) representatives, Youths representatives, artisans, community-based organizations, community representatives and faith-based organisations.

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