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Education

The source of orthodox Education in Iwo was, initially, primarily Christian Missionary based. These were mostly Baptist as each Baptist Church branch in the central city established a primary school of its own with corresponding name after the branch: Aipate Baptist Day School, Olukotun Baptist Day School, Feesu Baptist Day School, Oke-Odo Baptist Day School. The Baptists also established a secondary school, Baptist High school, Iwo, the only institution in Iwo awarding Advanced Level of West African School Certificate in addition to the Ordinary Level certificate. There was also a Baptist Modern school (now obsolete in Nigeria educational system) which now metamorphosed to Baptist Grammar school – awarding ordinary level certificates like other secondary schools. These in addition to the old Baptist College, a Teacher Training College, and one of the oldest of such in Africa and main source of teachers to the Nigerian and other African countries Education system. The College is now the site of Bowen University, the secular Baptist University, and the one of the three University in Iwo and environment. The Baptists were followed by the Methodist who had a Methodist Primary School in the central city, as well a Modern school, now United Methodist High School.

The Catholics had a Modern School, now Catholic Grammar School, and a Female Secondary School- St. Marys High School which is now a co-educational school.

The government later joined the Christian missionaries in establishing many primary schools, a Modern School, Local authority Modern School, now Local Authority Commercial Grammar School, a Teacher Training College, LATCO, later changed in 1964 to Iwo Grammar School.

Muslim missionaries also joined the efforts later in establishing Ansar-U-deen Primary School, Ansar-U-Deen Modern School which is now Ansar-U-deen Grammar School, and Anwar-ul-Islam Grammar School. The first Shariah court in Nigeria was established in Iwo. Iwo people are majorly Muslim as early as 1655 when the first mosque in Yorubaland was built which serves as the first place of worship and Islamic education. Among the major secondary schools are the Iwo Grammar School, the United Methodist High School, the Baptist High School, St. Mary’s High School, the L.A. Commercial Grammar School, Islahudeen Grammar School and the Anwar-ul-Islam Grammar School as well as several others. Iwo is well noted for Arabic/Islamic education. There are several Arabic schools (Modrassah)in the City and many Iwo indigenes usually have a taste of this along with the secular schools. The popular Modrassah include Islamic youth center (morkaz shabaab) which was established by late Islamic scholar named Sheikh Ahmad Muhally Adedimeji Aroworeki, Islahudeen Arabic School, Obatedo, founded by late Sheikh Abdulbaaqi Muhammad in the early 1960s. Amin Training Center, Araromi is another prominent school established by late Sheikh Badrudeen Al-Amin in the 1950s. Islamic cultural center (Markaz Abdul Razaq Abdul Rahman), Sheik Adam ilory Villa, Agbowo, Iwo.

There are many primary schools in the satellite towns established by the former Western Regional Government as well as many secondary schools in Iwo and its satellite towns which were established during the tenure of Chief Bola Ige as the governor of the old Oyo state.

Higher Institutions: BOWEN University, Wolex Polytechnic, Baptist Teachers’ Training College which was located at Oke Odo in Iwo, but this facility is now used as the campus of Bowen University, Westland University, Iwo city polytechnic, Royal College of Public Health and Technology, Empire College of Health Technology, Al Ummah College of Education, Federal College of Education, Offer center institute of Agriculture. Another institution in Iwo is Shariah College of Nigeria, which used to be in Ibadan before it was relocated to its permanent site at Oke-Afo, Iwo.

Among the major private secondary schools are Islamic Model College, Muslim International School, Agbaje Memorial Comprehensive College, Aipate Baptist School, Vico-Hope Comprehensive College, A-1 Grammar School, Crowey Schools, Regina Mundi Girls Secondary School, The wings school, Innayatullah muslim academy, ICC Model school, Our Lady of Fatima academy (OLFA). etc.