Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has flagged off the distribution of motorcycles to School Support Officers (SSOs) and School Mobilisation Officers (SMOs), alongside 72,000 notebooks to learners across the 33 local government areas of the state under the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) AF TESS Project.
Makinde, represented by the Deputy Governor, Barrister Bayo Lawal, at the flag-off ceremony held on Monday, October 5, at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan, said the intervention was part of his administration’s efforts to make education more accessible, inclusive and effective.
The governor, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media), Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, described the initiative as a practical investment in the people and structures supporting children’s learning, noting that SSOs and SMOs play a critical role in linking schools, families and communities.
According to him, the officers are responsible for identifying out-of-school children, encouraging enrolment and retention, and ensuring that children have access to education.
He said the provision of motorcycles would enable the officers to reach communities faster and discharge their responsibilities more efficiently.
Speaking on the distribution of 72,000 notebooks, Makinde said access to basic learning materials would improve pupils’ participation in lessons and make it easier for them to complete their schoolwork.
He added that the intervention complemented the state government’s broader efforts, in collaboration with its partners, to strengthen basic education and improve learning outcomes across Oyo State.
The governor urged beneficiaries to use the motorcycles responsibly and strictly for official duties, stressing that the vehicles were public assets entrusted to them to serve communities.
He also called on school authorities, parents, community leaders and other stakeholders to work closely with the officers to ensure that the benefits of the intervention reached children who needed them most.
Makinde encouraged pupils to make proper use of the learning materials, attend school regularly and remain committed to their studies.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education Intervention, Oloye Suraj Abiola Tiamiy, said the intervention would strengthen school-community linkages, improve enrolment and attendance, and enhance efforts to identify and return out-of-school children to the classroom.
Tiamiy disclosed that the BESDA AF TESS Project had also distributed 18,000 tablets to teachers to support teaching and professional development, while 209 public primary schools had been renovated across the state.
He described the initiatives as a broad investment in teachers, schools and communities, while commending Governor Makinde, the Ministry of Education, SUBEB, TESCOM, the BESDA AF TESS team and development partners for their collaboration.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Olufemi Okesola appreciated the state government for the intervention and pledged that the beneficiaries would use the materials responsibly to enhance monitoring and support the effective delivery of extracurricular activities to pupils across the state.
The event was attended by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Segun Olayiwola; Chairperson, Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, Mrs Olubukola Oladipo; and Executive Assistant to the Governor on BESDA, Hon. Olatoye Olajide Olusina, among others.
