The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  in Oyo State, Senator Sarafadeen Alli, on Monday promised to overhaul the education sector through policies aimed at reducing class congestion, improving funding and providing free learning materials if elected in 2027.

Alli stated this while responding to questions from journalists during “ADay with BSA” a media parley organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Oyo State Council.

Alli, who  represents Oyo South Senatorial District, said his administration will prioritize quality education by ensuring that no class in both primary and secondary schools across the state has more than 30 pupils.

“We cannot continue to have 70 to 100 pupils in one classroom and expect quality learning. Under our administration, we will ensure a maximum of 30 pupils per class in both primary and secondary schools. This will improve teacher-to-pupil ratio and learning outcomes,” he said.

The senator also pledged to review and increase subventions to all categories of schools in the state, including primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

According to him, adequate funding is critical to improving infrastructure, teachers’ welfare and overall performance of schools in Oyo State.

He also promised to pay special attention to the rehabilitation and upgrade of public school infrastructure across the 33 local government areas of the state.

On higher education, the APC governorship candidate said his government will abolish the practice of consultancy in state-owned tertiary institutions, which he described as a drain on resources.

He also promised to ensure the proper constitution and independence of governing boards to drive accountability and development in the institutions.

“We will put a stop to consultancy in our higher institutions. Governing boards will be allowed to function properly so that our tertiary institutions can compete favourably”, he said.

To ease the burden on parents, Senator Alli announced that his administration will provide free writing materials to pupils from primary school to junior secondary school level.

He noted that the initiative is part of efforts to encourage enrollment, reduce dropout rates and support indigent families across the state.

Speaking on the outcome of the APC governorship primary, Senator Alli reaffirmed his commitment to reconcile with aggrieved aspirants ahead of the general elections.

He said the reconciliation process is already ongoing to ensure a united front for the party.

“It is normal to have misunderstandings because APC paraded qualified aspirants. Serious efforts are ongoing to resolve the issue. As of today, I am the candidate of APC as it was uploaded and confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,” he said.

In his remarks, State NUJ Chairman Akeem Abas highlighted that NUJ acts as a conduit for all political parties to project their agendas publicly, irrespective of party lines.