Osun Government Raises Alarm Over Failing Mega School Structures

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The Osun State Government has expressed deep concern over the current state of 11 mega schools built under former Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration. These schools, which were constructed with a total investment of ₦16.5 billion, are reportedly deteriorating rapidly — and in some cases, are near collapse.

According to the Commissioner for Education, Adedipo Eluwole, the poor state of these once-promising institutions has discouraged enrolment, leading to a spike in the number of out-of-school children across the state.

The mega schools were originally designed to be modern, model institutions aimed at tackling the out-of-school challenge and improving learning conditions. But just eight years later, some of them now require extensive and costly renovations. For instance, the mega school in Ayedaade alone would need ₦480 million for repairs — a figure the government says could instead renovate multiple smaller schools across the state.

“There are a lot of problems to correct from the past administrations, it is not a small deal. The past government made terrible mistakes. They continued building mega schools and merging them, which are giving us problems now. It is impossible to maintain those schools,” Eluwole said.

He noted that the centralisation of students into large schools far from their communities also discouraged attendance. Many parents, faced with the challenge of distance, opted to keep their children at home.

“When they merged schools, pupils from Owode were asked to go to Fakunle at the stadium; so, this discouraged the parents and they made their children sit at home. This is why Osun was the home of out-of-school children,” he added.

To reverse this trend, the current administration under Governor Ademola Adeleke has launched initiatives aimed at improving school enrolment and accessibility. Eluwole shared that these efforts paid off last year, with over 11,000 children newly enrolled in schools across Osun State.

The government says it is now focused on smaller, more manageable classroom structures within communities — a strategy aimed at ensuring access and sustainability in the state’s education system.