Foundation, Oil Firm Partner Lagos Government To Fix Dilapidated Schools

Efforts to improve public education infrastructure in Lagos State have received a significant boost following a strategic Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement reached by development partners to revamp dilapidated education infrastructure in the State.

In a communique obtained by LEADERSHIP on Tuesday, education stakeholders lauded the collaboration of Sterling Exploration and Energy Production Company (SEEPCO) Limited, Vcare for Development Foundation (VCDF), in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, on the comprehensive revamping of Obele Community Senior and Junior Secondary Schools (OCSJS) in Surulere, Lagos

“Across Nigeria, deteriorating school facilities, from overcrowded classrooms to inadequate sanitation, continue to negatively affect learning outcomes. The Obele Community Schools, a microcosm of such inadequacy — made up of the Primary, Junior and Secondary Schools — have for years laboured under inadequate teaching conditions with aging and dilapidated infrastructure.

“The Obele community schools rehabilitation project, therefore, represents a targeted response to these challenges, demonstrating how partnerships between government, development organisations, and the private sector can improve access to quality education.

“The intervention, implemented under VCDF’s Model School Initiative (MSI), reflects a growing emphasis on collaborative, impact-driven solutions to address longstanding infrastructure deficits in Nigeria’s education sector,” the communique stated.

At the official handover ceremony, stakeholders from government, the education sector, and the host community, gathered to mark the completion of the upgraded facilities.

However, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, described the project as aligned with Lagos State’s broader development priorities, noting that improved learning environments are essential for student performance, well-being, and retention.

He commended VCDF and its partners for supporting the State’s vision of safe, inclusive, and conducive learning spaces, emphasising that sustained collaboration will be critical to addressing infrastructure gaps across Lagos State.

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary of the State’s Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs Abisola Dokunmu-Adegbite, urged the students and school administrators to ensure proper use and maintenance of the upgraded facilities.

VCDF’s National Programme Manager, James Olabi Odey, said the Obele intervention was part of a broader effort to expand access to quality education nationwide. According to him, the Model School Initiative has already reached over 28,000 beneficiaries across Lagos, Delta, and Akwa Ibom States.

He highlighted the role of private sector support, noting that SEEPCO’s involvement demonstrated how corporate social responsibility (CSR) can be effectively aligned with community development priorities.

The intervention areas at the Obele Senior High School included the renovation of 14 classrooms, 13 offices, and stores, construction and equipping of three science laboratories (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), roofing replacement for a one-storey classroom block, provision of 150 laboratory stools, 100 student desks, and teaching boards as well as construction of new sanitation facilities and walkways

Also, at the Obele Junior School, the partners renovated of eight classrooms and 10 offices, library upgrade with study cubicles, shelves, and seating, provision of desks, teachers’ furniture, and ceiling fans and installation of a water system for improved sanitation.

“The MSI initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4, which promotes inclusive and equitable quality education,” they noted.

Various speakers, including the chairman of Surulere Local Government Area, Hon. Sulaimon Bamidele Yusuf, noted that while infrastructure upgrades are critical, long-term impact will depend on maintenance, community ownership, and accountability.

For residents of Obele, the transformation goes beyond physical improvements. Community leaders and education stakeholders present at the project handover ceremony described the project as a major shift from previously deteriorating conditions, highlighting its potential to enhance both teaching and learning outcomes.

Improved school environments, they pointed out, can influence not only academic performance but also broader social and economic development within communities.

“As Lagos continues to grow, initiatives like the Obele school rehabilitation underscores the importance of strategic partnerships in building resilient and inclusive education systems,” a parent noted.

Also present at the event were Olusegun Osinaike, Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary, Education District IV, and Mrs Florence Bolodeoku, chairman of the Surulere Chapter of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS).