The Oyo State Government has launched a new initiative offering free evening classes to children working in major markets, as part of efforts to address the state’s out-of-school population.
The programme was announced in Ibadan by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olusegun Olayiwola, who described access to basic education as a fundamental right.
“Access to basic education is a fundamental right guaranteed by law,” Olayiwola said, calling on parents, guardians, and community leaders to support the initiative.
The intervention, introduced under the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, adopts a flexible approach to enforcing compulsory education by taking learning opportunities directly to children engaged in economic activities, rather than relying solely on sanctions against non-compliant parents.
According to the commissioner, the pilot phase will target selected markets, including Mokola/Sabo, Bodija, and Agbeni/Idi-kan, with classes scheduled to begin on April 27, 2026.
Lessons will run daily from 4pm to 6pm at designated centres such as St. Brigid’s Primary School, Mokola; St. Patrick’s Basic School, Idi-kan; and Methodist Primary School, Bodija.
Olayiwola urged traders and families to release children under their care to participate, noting that the success of the programme depends on community cooperation.
Also speaking, the Director of Basic Education, Susan Oladipo, said sensitisation efforts had already begun in the targeted markets.
She disclosed that members of the state steering committee on Almajiri and out-of-school children had engaged market leaders, who pledged support by helping to identify vulnerable children and encourage their enrolment.
The initiative reflects a growing policy shift towards inclusive and flexible learning models designed to reach children excluded from formal schooling due to economic pressures, particularly in urban informal sectors.
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