Ahead of school Resumption in Ogun state, the state Commissioner of Education, Prof.
Abayomi Arigbabu has warned school authorities against imposing unauthorised charges on learners as schools prepare to resume new academic session.

The Commissioner was speaking against the backdrop of developing strides and state government efforts ahead the Resumption.

Arigbabu disclosed that an increasing number of parents in Ogun State are withdrawing their children from private schools and enrolling them in government-owned flagship schools .

He stated that nearly 80 percent of learners admitted into the state’s flagship schools were coming from private primary schools, attributing the trend to growing confidence in the quality of education and facilities provided by the government.

The commissioner disclosed this yesterday at a press conference at the ministry’s conference room in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, where he outlined the state’s preparations for the 2026/2027 academic session.

According to him, Ogun has 40 senior flagship schools and four combined flagship schools, which he described as model institutions.

He said admission into the flagship schools was restricted to JSS1, with no provision for transfer admissions, adding that the movement of pupils from private primary schools into the public system showed that parents were increasingly recognising the value of government’s investment in education.

Arigbabu said the government had also intensified its campaign to increase school enrolment, with officials visiting markets and motor parks across Ijebu, Remo, Yewa and Egba to sensitise parents on the importance of education.

He said some children were still out of school despite Ogun’s level of development because their parents lacked the means or support to take them to school.

The commissioner also announced a 96 per cent pass rate in the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), saying the results were released on Wednesday night ahead of the resumption of students.

He said the timely release of BECE results had become a tradition in the state over the past five years.

According to him, the ministry has largely automated the examination process, including the production of Optical Mark Recognition sheets and answer booklets, as part of measures to improve efficiency and safeguard the credibility of examinations.

Arigbabu said the students’ performance, alongside the rising demand for places in flagship schools, indicated that the administration’s investment in education was yielding results.
Schools undergo readiness checks
On preparations for the new academic session, the commissioner said the ministry had concluded a three-day stakeholders’ engagement involving parents, old students’ associations, teachers, private school proprietors, school heads, principals and security agencies.

He said the meeting focused on quality education, safety, discipline, access, digital transformation and effective school management.

A total of 1,564 head teachers and 520 secondary school principals participated in the final day of the engagement, where they were reminded of their responsibilities and government policies ahead of resumption, he said.

The Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, So-Safe Corps and Amotekun Corps also participated in the programme, providing security advice and identifying areas of collaboration with schools.

Arigbabu urged school authorities to strengthen access control and risk management, while calling on parents, teachers and members of the public to report suspicious activities around schools.
He said security remained a collective responsibility.

The commissioner added that the government had reviewed school infrastructure ahead of resumption, with attention to classrooms, sanitation, water supply, toilets, furniture, electricity and the general learning environment.

He said the government remained committed to protecting its investment in education, noting that Governor Dapo Abiodun had paid the state’s counterpart funding up to 2026 under the UK-supported education programme.

Arigbabu said Ogun had also strengthened its position as a leader in digital transformation in education, citing the introduction of the Learner Identification Number (LIN) system about five years ago.

He said the Federal Government had since mandated all states to adopt the system, with Ogun serving as a model in its implementation.

The commissioner also highlighted OgunLEARN, the state’s artificial intelligence-powered teaching and learning platform, and urged teachers to embrace the technology to improve classroom instruction and learning outcomes.

He reiterated that the state’s free education policy remained in force and warned school authorities against imposing unauthorised charges on learners.

Arigbabu directed school heads to protect pupils from bullying, abuse, drug-related activities and violence, while prohibiting corporal punishment and insisting on disciplinary measures that respect the dignity and rights of students.

He also warned against examination malpractice, saying the government would continue to strengthen monitoring and supervision to protect the integrity of examinations across the state.