C2S+ Initiative Delivers 50 Bicycles To Support Students At GTC Ikotun

The C2S+ Initiative has completed distribution of 50 free bicycles to students of Government Technical College, Ikotun, in Lagos, with organisers saying the project is reducing transport pressure and helping students get to school earlier.

The programme is run by the Gabriel Rotimi Aroge Empowerment Foundation and targets students who live more than five kilometres from school and whose families struggle to cover daily transport costs.

Programme coordinator Ashiru Al-Mahroof said the latest handover closed the first batch of 50 bicycles after an earlier release that began with fewer units because of safety checks and documentation.

He said selection was based on verified distance from school and household financial need. According to him, route mapping was used to confirm where beneficiaries live, while meetings with parents were held to validate economic circumstances before final approval.

Al-Mahroof said the goal is to reduce time lost in transit and improve students’ readiness for learning at the start of the school day. He said parents signed consent and accountability forms before collection, while alternative identity checks were used where a parent could not attend physically.

A lecturer in the college’s Blocking and Concreting Department, Adekunle Abiodun, said the impact is already visible in attendance patterns. He said students who used to arrive around mid-morning now get to school before first period.

He also said the bicycles are easing household spending for families that previously paid about ₦2,000 to ₦3,000 each day on transport and feeding support.

School officials said a monitoring structure is in place to track punctuality and academic progress among beneficiaries. Students sign in and out, and a supervisory team follows compliance.

The bicycles are issued under a lease model, mainly to junior students, and returned at graduation so they can be reassigned to new intakes. Organisers said this model is designed to keep the programme running beyond a single cohort.

Beneficiaries were also given reflective jackets through support from the school’s old students association, while families were asked to provide helmets and locks before taking possession of the bicycles.

The foundation and school have organised safety sessions on road use, traffic signs and responsible cycling behaviour. Volunteer route mapper Favour Kelechi Okoh said students are learning both riding skills and maintenance routines.

Okoh said technical support is available for repairs and regular servicing, adding that durable bicycles can remain useful for many years when they are properly maintained.

To support expansion, organisers said they are engaging alumni and corporate partners to fund secure storage for up to 100 bicycles within the school. Plans also include a sheltered parking area and a changing point where students can freshen up before classes.

Al-Mahroof called on companies to support the project through corporate social responsibility programmes. He said partners can support helmets, high-visibility jackets and infrastructure that improves safety and sustainability.

He said the next phase aims to provide another 50 bicycles and deepen the school’s position as an education mobility hub.

Parents who spoke after the handover described the intervention as immediate relief. Ajoke Bolaji said she had been spending about ₦3,500 daily to move two children from Ipaja to school. Ganiyat Kazeem said her family had faced similar pressure from Dalemo-Alakuko due to distance.

Adejoke Olowe, a widow living in Akute, Ogun State, said high transport costs had forced her to request reduced attendance for her children, adding that the bicycles should now allow regular school participation.

Students said the bicycles will help them get to class on time, reduce fatigue and remove daily fare worries from their families.

Organisers said the initiative addresses a gap often missed in education policy: tuition support alone does not remove the cost of reaching school. They said targeted mobility support can improve punctuality, lower dropout risk and strengthen learning outcomes for students from low-income households.