The Oyo State government has frowned at parents that refused to send their wards to school as state government  is set to return about  272,000 out of school children in the state back  to school.

The Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Adeniran, made this known in an exclusive interview with CEOAFICA during the sensitisation programme on Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) held in Ibadan North Local government  on 20^th December, 2019.

The Chairman noted that Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board launched Better Education Service Delivery For All (BESDA) to tackle the menace of out-of-school children to embrace formal education and to inculcate Western Education in Arabic Centers

According to him, Better Education Service Delivery For All (BESDA) which Motto is “Because the children you fail to train today would be insurgents tormenting the society tomorrow” is a programme organized by the world bank to ensure that all children who are not in school or dropped out of school comes back to school.

The SUBEB Chairman said that total estimates of 272,000 children are not currently in school which falls into two major categories of children who are not in school.

 Those who have never being in school and those who dropped out from school, the school dropped out can be classified into two; financial constrain and inability to study well.

Though, there are other  reasons that can make one to be out of school and these are distance; the distance between the school and their homes, Orphans, special needs, streets begger’s, culture/ religious belief, child marriage, hawking, unwanted pregnancies, etc.

Dr Nureni lauded the efforts made by the Oyo state government under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde in bringing education to the lowest level that anyone can afford.

He said that the government has taken a bold step to return drop out back to school through free education, provision of books and materials for education, provision of funds for education sector, payment of examination fees of school students, t otal acceptance of BESDA by the Oyo state government.

He said “Oyo state government provides free education materials like text books and note books to ensure that students in Oyo state have the best education. He further said that he government organizes after school tutorial lessons for students who are about to write WAEEC and NECO [external exams] to make sure that they come out with good grades.

“Oyo state budget for education is above all other states in Nigeria” he added.

Since the inception of Governor Seyi Makinde, the number of students back in school has increased drastically.

He therefore calls on everyone to join hands with the government towards promoting good and quality education in Oyo state.