The Oyo State Government has appealed to the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) to suspend its ongoing strike and allow students to return to school.

The appeal followed a meeting of the State Executive Council on Wednesday, according to a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade.

The NUT had embarked on an indefinite strike on May 29 following the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area by suspected bandits on May 15. The union said the action was aimed at pressing for the swift rescue of the victims.

While acknowledging the concerns that led to the industrial action, the state government warned that the prolonged closure of schools could have significant social and economic consequences.

“While the reasons for the withdrawal of students from school by the NUT are understandable, the collateral implications, both social and economic, are raising unintended concerns and should equally be considered by the union,” the statement said.

As part of efforts to strengthen the education sector, the council approved N8.76 billion for the procurement of textbooks and instructional materials for primary and junior secondary schools. The approval forms part of a broader N23.012 billion investment in education.

The materials, to be supplied under a partnership involving the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the World Bank, will cover core subjects including Mathematics, English Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Basic Science.

The government noted that successful implementation of the programme would qualify the state for a performance-based reward of $2 per student per subject under the project’s financing arrangement.

The council also approved an upward review of the 2026 budget, increasing it from N892.08 billion to N1.102 trillion to support the completion of ongoing projects across the state.

Other approvals include a $250,000 contribution to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enhance the state’s access to continental trade opportunities, as well as N5.91 billion for the 2026 work plan of the Health Insurance and Food Security components of the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) programme.

Governor Seyi Makinde launched the SAfER initiative in 2023 to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on residents of the state.