Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has asked the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to end its strike. He wants public schools to reopen across the state. He assured residents that the government is working hard to free the abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area.
This appeal came after the Oyo State Executive Council approved N8.7 billion for buying teaching and learning materials for primary and junior secondary schools.
Dotun Oyelade, the commissioner for information, shared these details in a statement after the council meeting.
The NUT closed public schools in Oyo State to protest against rising insecurity. This happened after gunmen kidnapped over 40 schoolchildren and teachers from their schools on 15 May in Oriire Local Government Area.
Mr Oyelade said he understands the teachers' concerns but warned that keeping schools closed for too long could have serious social and economic effects.
"While the reasons for the withdrawal of the students from school by the NUT are understandable, the collateral implications, both social and economic, are raising unintended concerns and should equally be considered by the NUT," Mr Oyelade said.
He also mentioned that the government is taking steps to secure the release of those kidnapped and to improve security in the affected areas.
The NUT went on strike after pupils and teachers were abducted from three schools: Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A Primary School in Esiele, all in Oriire Local Government Area.
More than 40 days have passed since the victims were taken, and this has caused great worry among parents, education stakeholders, and other residents.
Following the kidnappings, NUT organized nationwide protests and told teachers in Oyo public schools to stay away from classrooms. They insisted that learning cannot continue under the current security conditions.
On Tuesday, the union said schools in the state would stay closed until proper measures are put in place to ensure the safety of both teachers and pupils. This school closure has disrupted learning for thousands of pupils as the school term comes to an end.
“As much as we have casualties among learners in terms of abduction, we have higher casualties among teachers because two of them were killed,” said Olukayode Salam, the secretary of the union.
In response to the security issues, the State Executive Council approved N8.77 billion as the first part of funding for buying teaching and learning materials.
The commissioner said this funding is part of a larger N23 billion education intervention project aimed at public primary and junior secondary schools in the state.
The materials to be purchased include textbooks for literacy, numeracy, mathematics, English language, and basic science.
The project will be done in partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the World Bank, under a results-based financing plan.
Mr Oyelade explained that if the project is successfully carried out, Oyo State could get more financial rewards.
“Upon the successful procurement and distribution of the approved textbooks, Oyo State becomes eligible for a reward-based disbursement of two United States dollars per student per subject,” he said.
The state executive council also approved a new budget that increases the state’s 2026 budget from N892.1 billion to N1.1 trillion.
The council said this increase was necessary because Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) requested more funds to finish ongoing projects before the current administration ends.
The council also approved various economic and social programs, including N5.9 billion for the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiative.
Started in 2023, the SAfER program was launched by the Makinde administration to help ease the effects of fuel subsidy removal. It provides transportation support, food assistance, healthcare coverage, and business grants.
Additionally, the council approved a payment of $250,000 to support programs under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Mr Oyelade said this will help attract investments and create more trade opportunities for businesses in the state.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇