Oyo Government Launches Free Two-Hour Evening Classes for Children Unable to Attend School During the Day
The Oyo State Government has launched free evening classes for children engaged in menial jobs across major markets in the state as part of efforts to tackle the growing number of out-of-school children.
The initiative, which will begin on Monday, April 27, 2026, is aimed at providing flexible learning opportunities for children who are unable to attend regular school during the day.
Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Olusegun Olayiwola, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists in his office in Ibadan.
He said the programme would run daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. during its pilot phase and would cover three major market clusters: Mokola/Sabo, Bodija, and Agbeni/Idi-kan.
According to him, designated learning centres for the programme are St. Brigid’s Primary School, Mokola, for children within the Sabo/Mokola axis; St. Patrick’s Basic School, Idi-kan, Agbeni, for children in Idi-kan, Agbeni and surrounding areas; and Methodist Primary School, Bodija, for children in Bodija and environs.
Olayiwola said the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde remains committed to ensuring that every school-age child has access to basic education, describing education as a fundamental right guaranteed by law.
He explained that rather than relying solely on penalties for parents who fail to enroll their children in school, the government had chosen a more practical and inclusive approach by creating alternative pathways for learning.
The commissioner appealed to parents, guardians, traders, and community leaders to support the initiative by allowing and encouraging affected children to attend the free two-hour evening classes.
Also speaking, the Director of Basic Education, Mrs. Susan Oladipo, said members of the State Steering Committee on Almajiri and Out-of-School Children had already embarked on awareness and sensitisation visits to the three markets.
She added that market leaders pledged full support for the programme, including helping to identify vulnerable children and encouraging their participation.
The state government said the initiative forms part of broader efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children and expand access to education across Oyo State.