- The Oyo State Government officially launched its Education Sector Plan covering 2026 to 2030 after two years of preparation
- Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf published four special reports on gaps in Oyo's education planning as part of a media fellowship
- The fellowship that shaped the advocacy was organised by ImpactHouse and SSPL across nine Nigerian states
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering education in Nigeria and worldwide.
Ibadan, Oyo State - The Oyo State Government has launched its Education Sector Plan (ESP) for 2026 to 2030, marking the end of a two-year process that involved planning, stakeholder engagement, and navigating repeated changes in political and administrative leadership within relevant ministries.
Legit.ng reports that the plan's development required sustained advocacy, rounds of meetings, and the involvement of multiple stakeholders before it could be finalised and formally launched.
Source: Facebook
Legit.ng reports spotlight Oyo education gaps
Among the contributors to that advocacy effort was Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, whose four investigative reports on education in Oyo State formed part of the public pressure that informed the push for a gender-responsive sector plan.
The reports, published between 2024 and 2025, examined how the absence of an education sector plan was hurting girls' access to learning in the state. They covered topics including barriers to girls' education, inequalities in Oyo's 2025 education budget, and the consequences of poor gender budgeting, ranging from drug abuse and cultism to teenage pregnancy.
Ridwan produced the reports as one of 27 fellows selected for the Change Reporting Media Fellowship on Gender Responsive Education Sector Planning (GRESP), a programme organised by ImpactHouse and System Strategy and Policy Lab (SSPL). The fellows were drawn from nine states: Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Oyo, and Sokoto.
About GRESP fellowship
The fellowship, first held in 2014, returned in 2024 with the goal of equipping journalists with the skills to advocate for gender equality within state education systems and demand concrete action from government authorities. Fellows received capacity building in Abuja alongside other resources to help them track and produce impactful journalism on how state governments plan for gender-responsive education.
The programme combined development project analytical skills with traditional journalism ethics, with fellows going on to produce reports that are both viable and impactful. It also gave fellows a structured way to deepen their understanding of education policies affecting girls' outcomes and access.
Read the confirmation of the development from a credible Oyo State source in the Facebook post below:
Coalition advocates 12 years of free education for girls
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working to raise awareness on girl–child education in the country advocated 12 years of free, safe and quality education for school-age girls.
The coalition, the National Working Group on Basic and Senior Secondary Education, said that by doing so, the country would be taking significant steps towards a brighter future for all Nigerians.
Source: Legit.ng