By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

Osun State has recorded a significant milestone in its educational journey, climbing from the 33rd to the 7th position in the 2024 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) rankings released by the National Examinations Council (NECO).

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Olawale Rasheed, spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, the latest ranking reflects the governor’s fulfillment of a major electoral promise made during the 2022 campaign — to bring Osun State into the top ten in national education performance.

The report titled “Standard Educational Performance Ranking of States in 2024 SSCE” showed that Osun State achieved an overall success rate of approximately 71percent, the highest in the state in the last 18 years. A gender breakdown revealed that male candidates in Osun ranked 10th nationally with a 69.2 percent success rate, while female candidates ranked 6th with approximately 72 percent success.

Rasheed highlighted several other indicators of educational excellence in the state, including:

Winning the prestigious Malaysia International Debate Competition in December 2024, making Osun the first Nigerian state to claim the title;

Representing Africa at the AI and Robotics Competition scheduled for May 2025 in Dallas, USA;

Placing second in the 2024 National Sewing Competition and Entrepreneurship Education Index;

Earning recognition as the best-performing state in the National Education Loan Assessment Rating conducted by NELFUND, for which Governor Adeleke was personally awarded.

Reacting to the development, Governor Adeleke expressed deep satisfaction with the progress, commending the Commissioner for Education, team leaders, and stakeholders for their dedication.

“I am elated that good news keeps coming our way. I made a promise, and today, God and our hardworking team have made it possible. Moving from 33rd to 7th in just two years is extraordinary,” the governor said.

“But we are not done yet. My target is to reach number one, and I believe it is possible. Our educational team must remain committed, continue with reforms, and keep innovating.”

The governor also acknowledged the ongoing transformation of tertiary institutions in the state, including the robust growth of Osun State University and University of Ilesa, as well as reforms in polytechnics and colleges of education. He assured the public that plans to resolve outstanding issues such as teacher recruitment are underway, emphasizing the importance of sound financial planning.