Increased number of pupils attending public primary schools in Oyo town and environ now pose a threat to learning unless government takes quick steps to address the situation.
A visit by Radio Nigeria to many of the schools in Afijio, Atiba, Oyo East and Oyo West local government areas revealed that most of the Basic one and Nursery classes each had about fifty pupils per teacher.
Apart, many of the classrooms lack chairs, tables, adequate teaching staff and chalk.
Refusal of the teachers and their heads to grant interview hindered deeper findings into the situation allegedly caused by the surge in school enrollment.
However, some parents observed that the situation might not be unconnected with the state government’s liberal policy on access to primary education and federal government’s free feeding programme in the schools.
The parents, including Mr. Olu Adeniran and Mrs. Rofiat Salami called for recruitment of more primary school teachers while a PTA executive in Oyo East Local Government asked for a greater role for the body in running the schools to address the challenges.
Kayode Oguntona
