RismadarVoice Reporters
October 5, 2026
Governor Seyi Makinde has launched the distribution of motorcycles to School Support Officers and School Mobilisation Officers alongside 72,000 notebooks for pupils across Oyo State’s 33 local government areas.
The intervention, implemented under the Better Education Service Delivery for All, BESDA AF TESS Project, was unveiled at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.
Represented by his deputy, Bayo Lawal, Makinde said the initiative was designed to improve access to basic education, strengthen school-community engagement and support efforts to bring out-of-school children back into classrooms.
He said School Support Officers and School Mobilisation Officers play an important role in identifying children who are not attending school, encouraging enrolment and working with families and communities to improve attendance.
According to the governor, providing motorcycles to the officers would make it easier for them to reach communities, particularly areas where transportation could hinder regular monitoring and mobilisation activities.
Makinde said the distribution of 72,000 notebooks was also intended to provide pupils with essential learning materials and support their participation in classroom activities.
He urged officers receiving the motorcycles to use them responsibly and strictly for official duties, stressing that the vehicles were public assets provided to improve education services.
The governor also called on parents, school authorities, traditional and community leaders and other stakeholders to cooperate with the officers to ensure that children who are out of school are identified and encouraged to return.
Makinde encouraged pupils to attend school regularly, take their studies seriously and make proper use of the learning materials provided.
He said investment in basic education remained important to the development of children and the long-term growth of Oyo State.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education Intervention, Suraj Tiamiy, said the programme would strengthen collaboration between schools and their surrounding communities.
Tiamiy said the motorcycles would improve the mobility of officers responsible for monitoring enrolment and attendance and identifying out-of-school children, while the notebooks would support pupils in their daily academic activities.
The event was attended by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Segun Olayiwola; Chairperson of the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, Mrs Olubukola Oladipo; Executive Assistant to the Governor on BESDA, Olatoye Olusina; and other government officials.
