As students and teachers resume across Oyo State this week, many of them have bemoaned the sorry state of most of the public schools.
Findings by DAILY POST showed that many of the schools are in dilapidated condition.
This is as a lot of them are faced with blown off roofs, collapsed classroom walls, damaged ceilings, food vendor sheds destroyed, among others, a situation caused by a recent rainfall which wrecked havoc in some parts of the state.
Schools in the Ogbomoso geopolitical zone were worse hit by the havoc.
DAILY POST recalls that properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in some public schools in the state.
Some of the affected schools are: Emmanuel Agboola Baptist Grammar School, Laogun Adeoye Memorial High School, Muslim Comprehensive High School, Molete Community High School and Methodist Secondary Grammar School.
Others are: Baptist Grammar School Sunsun, Baptist Comprehensive High School, Muslim Grammar School, Ogbomoso Baptist High School, Government Technical College and Millennium Model Secondary High School.
Repair of the affected schools has not been carried out by the authorities concerned as of the time of filing this report.
DAILY POST learnt that this has compounded the problems being faced by the students, teachers and other staff members in the affected schools.
Checks revealed that the dilapidated condition of the schools would hinder effective learning.
A teacher in one of the affected schools narrated that the rain destroyed some properties in the school.
The teacher, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “It is devastating. The government needs to come to the aid of the school.”
A resident of Ogbomoso, identified as Mamoru Adesina, noted that the incident may affect learning in the schools.
He used the opportunity to call on the state government to do the needful as quickly as possible.
He said, “However, assistance doesn’t normally come and if it does, it may take a long time.
“If schools resume, that will be a serious problem, because facilities have become reduced and will affect teaching and learning.
“In some schools also like Emmanuel Agboola Baptist Grammar School, their exam hall has partly collapsed.
“Ironically, it is public schools that are majorly affected; does that tell of the quality of work being done by the so-called government contractors who built some of the facilities?”
A principal in one of the affected schools, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told DAILY POST on Sunday that the rainstorm affected his school.
He, however, noted that the Local Inspectors of Education (LIEs) have informed principals to keep students away from all buildings that were not in good condition.
He said, “The LIEs have issued a statement to all the principals. The statement is from the commissioner and directed all the schools not to jeopardise the welfare of the students.
“The Honourable Commissioner for Education Science and Technology informed that no Principal should allow students to stay in a blown-off building.
“It is better to use all available classrooms that are conducive to learning and teaching activities in the School. The LIEs shared it with principals. You know it’s meant for principals”.
Destruction poses serious safety risks to students upon resumption – Majority leader, Adedoyin
Meanwhile, the majority leader of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Sanjo Adedoyin, has declared that the destruction of the schools poses serious safety risks to both the students and their teachers.
Adedoyin used the opportunity to call for urgent executive intervention to address the devastating damage inflicted on the public secondary schools in the State.
He made these declarations while moving a motion of urgent public importance during the House plenary on Wednesday.
Adedoyin, who represents Ogbomoso South State constituency, described education as a fundamental right and a central tool for human capital development that must not be compromised under any circumstance.
He stressed that safe and well-equipped schools were a prerequisite for a conducive learning environment that supports students’ psychosocial and academic growth and confirmed that many public schools were affected by the havoc.
Adedoyin said, “In many of the affected schools, academic activities will be abruptly halted, leaving students stranded and disrupting the educational calendar.
“The implication is prolonged interruption in learning, which may affect academic performance and overall development. Teachers will also be unable to carry out their duties effectively due to the damaged infrastructure.
“Preliminary findings revealed that the examination hall of Emmanuel Agboola Baptist Grammar School has partly collapsed. Molete Community High School, Molete Comprehensive High School and Government Technical College, Ogbomoso were seriously affected, and these damages would automatically deprive students of those schools and hinder their learning activities.
“Further observes that schools seriously damaged by the rainstorm need urgent government attention without delay, as schools are preparing for resumption on April 27, 2026.
“The fact remains that delay in rehabilitating the affected schools may be dangerous, in view of the importance of essential school infrastructure to teaching and learning which has been severely damaged”.
We directed principals, others to keep students away from unsafe buildings – Education commissioner
Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology in the State, Mr Olusegun Olayiwola, when contacted, confirmed the destruction, saying that it affected schools in all parts of the State and not only in the Ogbomoso geopolitical zone.
Olayiwola, who spoke with DAILY POST on Sunday, noted that he has issued a circular to all principals and heads of schools not to allow students in any building that is not safe for reading and learning.
The commissioner in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST said that a rainstorm is a natural disaster that can come at any time.
He said, “Rainstorm is a natural disaster that will not knock on anybody’s doors before it comes.
“We are working it out, it is not in Ogbomoso alone, it happens all over the places. We are making requests, we are discussing it, we are working on it.
“Because of that, I have already issued a circular to all schools, all LIEs, heads of schools that they should critically look at their schools, any building that is dilapidated or about to collapse, they should not allow any student to stay there. The life of every child that is under our custody is so important to us.
“We are working on it. So, that one, it is not our making. It is not the Oyo State government that brought the rainstorm, so when it happens, they will give us more time, people should be patient. We have to work on it so as to do something. So, we are working on it”.