By Ijeoma Agbafo
Education experts have warned that the prolonged closure of public schools in Oyo State could worsen learning inequality, expose children to criminal activities and undermine the state’s future if urgent measures are not taken.
The experts, who spoke separately with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Wednesday, urged the government to strengthen security around schools and explore alternative learning arrangements to minimise disruptions and ensure pupils continue their education.
Prof. Adams Onuka of the University of Ibadan said the indefinite closure had disproportionately affected children from low-income families who relied on public schools, warning that prolonged idleness could increase their vulnerability to crime and widen the educational gap between them and pupils in private schools. He added that while online learning could serve as a temporary alternative, many public school pupils lacked access to smartphones, internet services and data.
Also, Prof. Soji Adejumo sympathised with affected families, saying teachers’ concerns over insecurity were understandable. He urged the government to take decisive steps to improve security, warning that “an assault on education is an assault on the future of Nigeria”.
Similarly, the Vice-Chancellor of Trinity University, Clement Kolawole, called for collaboration between the government and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to restore safe learning. He also advocated the use of technology and internet data support to enable pupils to continue learning while efforts to reopen schools were underway.
