Accessibility to Public Basic Education Facilities in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Accessibility to Public Basic Education Facilities in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Folaranmi Akinosun¹, Olorunfemi Olojede², Sola Atoyebi³, Peter Oyelere^4*

¹Directorate of Research and Innovation, Foreign Links Campus, Moro, Osun State, Nigeria

^2,4Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria

³Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.906000297

Received: 09 June 2025; Accepted: 13 June 2025; Published: 14 July 2025

ABSTRACT

The study examined accessibility to public basic education facilities in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria with a view to suggesting policy response in achieving sustainable education policies in Akinyele and others with similar setting. Systematic sampling technique was used in selecting 221 respondents aged 18years and above across the 12 political wards for questionnaire administration. Findings revealed that there is spatial inequality in the accessibility of respondents to public basic education facilities. This is based on their socioeconomic characteristic, and distance covered and travel time to public basic education facilities. The study recommends that government should ensure equitable provision of public basic education facilities and adequate accessibility among residents in the study area.

Keywords: Basic Education, Facilities, Accessibility, Oyo State, Akinyele, Spatial

INTRODUCTION

Globally, basic education is designed specifically for adolescent age group and it is gradually recognised as crucial in a student’s life (National Middle School Association [NMSA], 2003; North American Association for Environmental Education [NAAEE], 2008). It is for those age group that are unique in terms of intellectual, emotional, and physical development (NMSA, 2003). These age group are between 6 – 13 with potentials for transforming social and economic system in any environment (Nwadiani & Akporehe, 2015; Fabiyi & Ogunyemi, 2015; Mobolaji et al., 2024). Without basic education, illiteracy, poverty and ignorance is a threat to human settlement. This is because, basic education is a result of knowledge imparted to develop skills, experiences and behaviour for sustainable development.

Basic education related issues are of strategic concern to government all over the world. Government is concerned with the provision of basic education that will make it possible for students to thrive and live a productive life. This is a result of many conventions and declarations that supports adequate provision of basic education such as the 1948 United Nations Declaration of Human Right and Education for all in 1990 among others (Nwadiani & Akporehe, 2015). However, the maintenance of such levels of education therefore and easy access to basic education facilities has been a challenge to mankind because basic education facilities as a public right is the statutory responsibility of the governments and it is to provide this irrespective of students’ gender or location (Bhunia et al., 2012; Amuchie et al., 2013; Daramola et al., 2018). This challenge has propelled government(s) to provide public basic education facilities for learning, working and recreating.

Public basic education facilities are movable and non-movable elements provided by government to promotes functional, supportive and conducive learning and working environment. These facilities are non-human components that can be fixed or circulatory in nature and also provides convenient and comfortable opportunities for studying and living (Akporehe, 2013; Daramola et al., 2022; Mobolaji et al., 2022). The facilities include classroom, sick bay, library, laboratory, recreational space, and assembly hall. Others are waste collection and disposal, water and sanitation supply, and energy supply. Public basic education facilities provide pleasing environment for learning where students will be academically and socially integrated. It is this type of environment that supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (inclusive and equitable quality education).

Many studies have been carried out on the availability of facilities that enhances basic education (Ikoya & Onoyase, 2008; Talpur et al., 2014; United Nations Development Programme [UNDP], 2018; Daramola & Olawuni, 2017; Ogundahunsi & Olayode, 2018; Daramola et al., 2023; Mobolaji et al., 2024). Availability of education facilities provides basis for teaching, learning and working, and also improves the quality of environment. Also, not all studies except for Ogunniran et al. (2019), Kanayochukwu et al. (2020), Huang et al. (2023), were interested in equitable provision and distribution of basic educational facilities. However, information on equitable accessibility to public basic education facilities for social and economic development especially in cities of developing countries are scanty in literature. These offers an opening for this kind of study, and also form basis for the research contribution to knowledge.

In Nigeria one of the most populous black countries in Africa, explicit consideration has not been given to the need for equity in accessibility to basic education facilities in the recent time (United Nations Educational Scientific & Cultural Organization [UNESCO], 2017; Ogunniran et al., 2019; Raji & Sanni, 2022). Accessibility to public basic education facilities is the ability of residents of any environment to enjoy education facilities through proximity to their homes, roadway connectivity and walkability. This implies that the location of activities and destinations has a direct impact on accessibility. Hence, basic education facilities must be located in a manner that residents can have access to them within a minimum travel. Therefore, accessibility to basic education facilities improves learning and working which provides basis for sustainable education policies.

The foregoing suggests that the issue of accessibility to basic education facilities by residents should be given adequate attention. Therefore, this study examined residents’ accessibility to basic education facilities in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. This is important because inadequate accessibility to basic education facilities have implications on infrastructure planning and the development of the city. In achieving this, the study provides answer to these questions:

• What are the socio-economic characteristics of residents in Akinyele Local Governemnt Area?
• What are the levels of accessibility to basic education facilities by residents in Akinyele Local Governemnt Area?

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study area, Akinyele local government area is located on Latitude 7º26′ and 7º40′ North of the Equator and Longitude 3º47′ and 4º05′ East of the Greenwich Meridian. The local government shared boundaries with Afijio, Lagelu, Ido and Ibadan North Local Government Areas  to the North, East, West and South respectively. Akinyele, formed in 1976 is divided into three local government (Akinyele main local government, Akinyele East and South Local Council Development Authorities) and 12 political wards. It occupies a land area of 404,892 square kilometres. According to the 2006 census as released by the National Population Commission, the population of Akinyele local government was 211,359 (Tokede, et al., 2020). Likewise, residents in the local government were mostly farmers with few that engaged in artisan work.

Overtime, the increasing population surge in Akinyele coupled with migration of people from neighbouring rural areas propelled the need for public basic education facilities. Akinyele local government currently has over 135 public primary and secondary schools (Oyo State Bureau of Statistics, 2018). Although, the schools were not evenly distributed and also devoid of adequate accessibility to facilities that aid learning, working and healthy living (Olowoporoku et al., 2019; Adeleke & Akere, 2023; Daramola et al., 2023; Akinosun et al., 2024). Cursory glance indicated poor accessibility to the available public basic education facilities in Akinyele local government. Also, each of the political wards in Akinyele is distinctively homogeneous, with respect to land uses, physical layout and housing characteristics. Due to distinct attributes, basic education facilities varied in each of the wards.

Figure 1: Map of Nigeria Showing Oyo State

Source: National Space Research and Development Agency, (2023)

Figure 1: Map of Akinyele Local Government Area

Source: National Space Research and Development Agency, (2023)

Data collection for the study were through questionnaire administration. Using systematic sampling technique, every 20th residential building was sampled due to lack of house numbering with the focus on household heads as the respondent. Household heads are the parents of the students who were considered juvenile. The first building sampled was selected randomly between the 1st and the 20th building and starting with that number every 20th building was subsequently selected. As a result, the 221 respondents were selected in the 12 political wards for the study. Questionnaire were administered on the respondents’ socioeconomic characteristics and their level of accessibility (distance travelled, transport fare and travel time) to basic education facilities. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive method. Except otherwise stated, tables in this study emanated from field survey in 2024.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

Findings were made on the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents and their level of accessibility to public basic education facilities in the study area. The socioeconomic characteristics of respondents comprised gender, age, educational attainment and average monthly income. These variables were important based on the work of Ogunniran et al. (2019), Daramola et al. (2022), Idowu et al. (2023), Huang et al. (2023), Daramola et al. (2023) which stated that socioeconomic characteristics were important variables in examining people’s opinion on the distribution and utilization of educational facilities. Particularly, Raji and Sanni (2022) indicated that socioeconomic characteristics is a pivotal element in examining the perception of residents to distribution of basic education facilities in cities of the world.

Findings were also made on the accessibility of residents to basic education facilities based on proximity, roadway connectivity and walkability. According to Akinosun and Olojede (2022), Mobolaji et al. (2022), access to infrastructure is essential for sustainable living. Most importantly, Ogunniran et al. (2019), Raji and Sanni (2022) revealed that accessibility to basic education facilities improve learning and working.

Socio-economic attributes of the Respondents

As presented in Table 1, findings revealed that 64.7% of the respondents were male while 35.3% were female. Also, findings were made on the respondents’ age across the study area. The categorisation of respondents age was categorized into; those between 18 – 30 were youth, the respondents within the age of 31 – 59 were young adults, and those respondents from 60 and above were considered old people. Thus, majority 46.1% were young adult between 31 – 59 years of age while fewer 24.1% of the respondents are youth between 18 – 30years of age. Similarly, 29.9% of the respondents were elderly who are 60 years above. As a result, respondents were adult and mature enough to provide adequate information that could enhance public basic education facilities delivery. Furthermore, majority 47.1% of the respondents attained tertiary education level while just fewer 13.1% only had primary education. The findings however indicated that respondents were knowledgeable and also understand the need for equitable accessibility to public basic education facilities.

Findings were also made on the average income level of the respondents. It was deduced that majority 47.4% of respondents earn nothing less than ₦60,000 monthly, which established certain similarity in the average monthly income of respondents across the study area. Likewise, findings were made on the respondents’ length of stay. Operationally, length of stay is the number of year(s) a household has been in the study area and how the stay influences their accessibility to public basic education facilities. This is because the longer the period people live in an area; the more they are likely to understand the need for adequate and sustainable education facilities. As a result, majority 53.9% of the respondents had stayed above 6 years in the study area and they were capable of taken cognizance of distribution and accessibility to public basic education facilities.

Table 1: Socio-economic attributes of the Respondents

Accessibility to Public Basic Education Facilities

As presented in Table 2, findings revealed that 49.3% of the respondent declared availability of basic education facilities while 50.7% declared not availability in the study area. Findings also revealed that 33.9% of the respondents declared that distance from their homes to public basic education facilities is between 11km – 30km. Even though, fewer 13.5% proportion of the respondents indicated that the distance from their home to public basic education facilities is less than 5km. Thus, the distance of public basic education facilities to respondents is far especially where one third 30.5% of the respondents indicated above 31km. Therefore, there is spatial inequality in the accessibility of respondents to public basic education facilities based on distance travelled. Furthermore, one third 32.5% of the respondents declared their travel time to basic education facilities between 31 – 59 minutes whereas 15% of the respondents spent less than 10 minutes. The findings however indicated students’ lateness due to longer travel time.

In addition, findings were made on the respondents’ mode of road transportation to the available basic education facilities in the study area. The mode of road transportation was; foot, tricycle, motorcycle, public taxi and private car. Based on the findings, it was revealed that fewer 9.4% of the respondents commute by tricycle to the available basic education facilities unlike the 25.1% that travel through motorcycle. In fact, less than 19% commute through private car while 19.4% travel by foot (trekking) to the available basic education facilities. Similarly, majority 27.6% of the respondents travel through public taxi. Therefore, nearness of basic education facilities among the respondents varied across the study area.

Table 2: Accessibility to basic education facilities

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

The study examined accessibility to public basic education facilities in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Based on the findings, majority 64.7% of the respondents were male, adult 46.1% and 47.1% have attained tertiary education level. Although, there is similarity in the average monthly income, majority 53.9% of the respondents had stayed above 6 years in the study area. Likewise, across the study area, there is variation in the respondents’ socioeconomic characteristics. Also, two third 49.3% of the respondents declared availability of public basic education facilities and there is spatial inequality in the accessibility to basic education facilities based on respondents’ distance travelled.

Furthermore, fewer 15% of the proportion of respondents spent less than 10 minutes as travel time to the available basic education facilities. In addition, one third 27.6% which is the majority of respondents travel through public taxi whereas nearness of basic education facilities among the respondents varied across the study area. Findings however revealed that accessibility to basic education facilities is low as a result of longer travel time and inequality in the distance to the available basic education facilities across the study area. The study recommends that government should ensure equitable provision of basic education facilities and adequate accessibility among the residents in the study area. This is because government is primarily saddled with the provision of equitable education facilities that could aid efficient and effective academic environment.

Funding

This study is self-funded and does not receive any external funding.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors appreciate the residents of Akinyele Local Government Area for their cooperation and participation in the study.

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