•Tolu Schools Complex sits on 11.7 hectares of land
The Lagos State government has taken another step towards improving the quality of education as it inaugurated the Tolu Schools Complex in the Ajegunle area of the state.
Built on an estimated 11.7 hectares of land, the Tolu Schools Complex is made up of 36 public schools comprising 31 secondary and five primary schools in the Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, reports Channels TV.
At the event attended by dignitaries such as Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who represented President Bola Tinubu, among others, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the project reflected the state’s commitment to providing quality education for residents of Nigeria’s commercial centre.
‘Fulfilling a Covenant’
“This was not just a historic regeneration; it was a courageous one. What we have built is a school for the 21st century,” the Lagos State governor told the gathering today.
“Mr. President, what is being commissioned today is not just a facelift or a cosmetic intervention. It is a full reimagining of what public education should look like in a modern African city like Lagos.”
“Today, here in Ajegunle— ‘AJ City’—we are not merely commissioning a set of buildings; we are fulfilling a covenant,” he said.
“This is a sacred promise between the government and the people: that no child, regardless of where they are born, shall be denied the dignity of a world-class education.”
Some of the facilities in the Tolu Schools Complex include an ICT and robotics hub, laboratories for physics, chemistry, and biology, each accommodating over 200 students at a time, and a vocational skills acquisition centre with dedicated workshops.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said these were designed to prepare the students to “thrive in a changing world”.
“That is why we built a four-storey vocational skills acquisition centre with dedicated workshops,” he said.
“To tackle overcrowding and create a conducive environment, we have delivered new classroom blocks — each containing 18 classrooms—and extensively renovated 24 others. We have ensured these are safe, habitable, and inspiring spaces for teaching and learning,” the governor added.
In his address, Akpabio commended the Lagos State government for the regeneration project, for the “bold planning and a clear commitment to our youth” and “delivering a project of this magnitude”.
According to him, education must be treated as critical to human capital development.
“We must continue to treat education not just as a social service but as a driver of economic growth,” Akpabio said.
“Through the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are committed to ensuring every child has access to quality learning and practical skills, preparing them to thrive in the fast-emerging modern economy.”
A Model of Partnership
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, also shared similar sentiments, appreciating the government for delivering on the project.
Alausa told the gathering that the Tolu Schools Complex regeneration is in line with the educational goals of President Tinubu’s government.
“This stands as a powerful testament to what is possible when leadership is purposeful and when national and subnational governments operate in sync with a common goal. It is a model of what a state can achieve in partnership with national objectives,” he said.
“The Tolu Schools Complex aligns perfectly with our priorities. We are committed to ensuring that our schools equip students with practical skills so they are prepared to compete and thrive in a fast-emerging modern economy.”
The Tolu Schools Complex was first established in 1981 under the mass education policy of a former Lagos State governor, Lateef Jakande. The government reclaimed 11.73 hectares of land from the Lagos Lagoon to build a beacon of hope in the heart of Ajegunle.
During Tinubu’s time as Lagos governor, from 1999 to 2003, he constructed the Bola Ige Millennium Secondary School, an intervention that reflected a philosophy of building for the future at scale.
The Lagos government began the latest round of renovation of the Tolu Schools Complex in early 2024.
