Oyo State Government today, applauded Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for its donations to the development of education in the State, saying the move has increased the educational facilities in the State.

The Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Adeniran, said this in his office, while receiving JICA representatives.

He commended JICA and by extension, the Japanese Government for their unalloyed commitment and provision of facilities, which has contributed to the overhauling and improvement of the State's Basic Education.

He said, "Your intervention projects are timely, because they came at the time the Basic Education system was in need of them."

"We are very happy to receive you in Oyo state. On behalf of the State Government, we express our appreciation to JICA for considering Oyo State worthy of those projects, at the time they gave us", he continued.

He said further that, "we believe Government is a continuum, and most importantly, the projects you gave us were for the good people of Oyo State. We thank you so much for your immense contribution".

While he pledged the State Government's commitment to maintain the facilities, he also assured them of the Board's readiness to assist the team, on its post-construction evaluation of the projects in the State, without any hesitation.

"Perhaps, you need our assistance for the success of your post-construction evaluation, our officers are on ground to render such assistance", he said.

Speaking earlier, on behalf of the visiting team, the Program officer, International Development Research Institute, Tokyo, Dr. Ruiko Hino said the visit would give room for a feedback on the state of facilities to the Japanese and Nigerian governments.

So far, JICA under the auspices of the Japanese Government, has donated Two-hundred and Thirty-one classrooms to Thirty selected primary schools in the State.

The gesture was facilitated by the Universal Basic Education Board, while the Thirty schools are spread across Twenty-one Local Government areas in Oyo State.

JICA is an agency established by the Japanese Government, to represent Japan on intervention projects. It coordinates Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the Government of Japan.