Imo’s public schools face infrastructural challenges

Pupils and students in the state, rather than acquiring the much expected qualitative education, are being jammed together  in the few available classes, while the teachers, the head masters and principals only perch wherever they find to carry out their daily academic activities, due to lack of adequate infrastructure. It has become a taboo to […]

Pupils and students in the state, rather than acquiring the much expected qualitative education, are being jammed together  in the few available classes, while the teachers, the head masters and principals only perch wherever they find to carry out their daily academic activities, due to lack of adequate infrastructure.
It has become a taboo to see good libraries, laboratories, toilets facilities and good playing grounds in the public schools in the state, Daily Trust observed.
For the public schools to move from the present state of decay to something better, it requires putting adequate infrastructures and funding. But when these factors are lacking, the entire system is bound to collapse, some stakeholders have pointed out.
Daily Trust observed that infrastructural decay in the public schools cut across all the 27 local government areas of the state. This situation is worrisome as some of the affected schools operate under the old and antiquated buildings, using ceiling buds to separate offices and libraries. It is further observed that many secondary schools in their efforts to accommodate the increasing number of students, take the risk of having 40 and above students per classroom.
A classroom meant for 30 students or pupils now  accommodates 60 or more students or pupils in many schools across the state. To many other schools, they don’t have enough school block that would accommodate both the students/pupils and teachers.
Furthermore, roofing sheets in most schools have been pulled off by wind for a very long time and government has yet to repair the affected schools.
Daily Trust reports that at the inception of the present government of the state, it has toured most of the primary and secondary schools in the state and assessed the level of decay of infrastructure.
The move has necessitated erection of new primary school buildings in the 305 political wards to address the dearth of infrastructures in primary schools.
While many primary schools are yet to enjoy the gesture, the Secondary schools, on the other hand, have not received similar gesture at all.
Also, when Daily Trust visited the Teachers Training College Practicing primary schools Irete, in Owerri, the Headmaster, Mr. G. Oparah N. , lamented of the decayed infrastructure in the school, adding that the only building the school can boast of is the five-classroom block built by the ETF.
He said that the school, with a population of 1,300 pupils, built in 1946, has no adequate toilet facilities, classrooms, chairs and tables for both teachers and pupils. He said all efforts made to inform government about the current situation has not yielded any good results as government has not positively respond to their complaints.
According to him, the school has a miniature type of Library that is not well equipped, adding that the Library was divided into two to accommodate the head masters office. He said that there are 50 teachers in the school possessing NCE, B. Ed, and Masters Degrees.
On the performance of the pupils in examination, the head master commended the pupils, adding that the performance of the pupils in every external examination is very commendable.
He thanked Governor Rochas Okorocha for his Free Education policy, saying the policy has helped in boosting both enrolment and performance of students in the state.
At the Waterside Primary school in Owerri Municipal, the head mistress Mrs. Love Okorie, lamented the absence of toilet and library facilities in the school, adding that the school which has 29 teachers among whom were 17 B Ed certificate holders, 12 NCE holders and One masters degree holder, has the pupils enrolment of 734, comprising 327 male and 404 females.
She told on Daily Trust that the school has enough class rooms, pointing out that the government has abandoned construction of a new building at the school. She regretted absence of playing ground for the pupils and lack of water facility in the school.
According to her, pupils are usually sent out during school hours to trek for miles to fetch water. The headmistress pointed that some of the challenges bedeviling the school include the encroachment of the school’s land by some people.
She however, blamed  the SUBEB office for the non permanent of teachers salaries.
She said that the school, owing to its development, has earned the status of a model school.
Mrs. Nwobi said the school’s problems include lack of perimeter fence to protect lives and properties of the students, and  dilapidated laboratories. She said that the roof of the laboratories is already caving in and yearning for maintenance.
She the school dormitories also need repairs to accommodate more students.
When contacted, the state commissioner for education, Dr. Uche Ejiogu, said government is doing its best to improve the standard of education in the state, adding: “Government is committed to the development of education sector”.
According to her, Imo State has about 500,000 pupils and about 300,000 students in public secondary schools.
“The performances of teachers in the state have improved, courtesy of regular payment of their salaries and welfare package,” she said, adding:  “They are enjoying from the government.”