Kano dilapidated schools’ lands up for grabs

By Salim Umar Ibrahim & Aminu Naganye (Kano) Kano State Government has increased the number of school intakes over the years with its free and compulsory basic education programme, but while the numbers are surging, some schools including Maikwatashi and Kwakwaci, right at the heart of the state metropolis have been suffering from infrastructural dearth with […]

By Salim Umar Ibrahim & Aminu Naganye (Kano)

Kano State Government has increased the number of school intakes over the years with its free and compulsory basic education programme, but while the numbers are surging, some schools including Maikwatashi and Kwakwaci, right at the heart of the state metropolis have been suffering from infrastructural dearth with many classrooms in ruins and now some part of the schools’ lands now ceded for commercial purposes with the insinuation the income from the commercial buildings will help fend for the needs of the schools, Daily Trust on Sunday reports.

The dilapidated state of Kwakwaci and Maikwatashi government schools in Kano, in the last couple of years, has been affecting education seriously in the affected areas.

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While these schools, which are situated within the metropolitan area of the state, are battling with these dilapidations, parts of their lands have also been carved out to allow for the construction of ‘corner-shops’, a move government officials said will help to address the dilapidation and check the growing activities of hoodlums around the school.

Domiciled in Fagge Local Government Area of the state and blessed with vast lands which house several blocks of classrooms, most of which are in disrepair, the schools also boast of vast playgrounds for the over a thousand students between them.

Buoyed by the strides of the free education policy of the state government, students troop in from the nooks and crannies of Fagge, Sabon Gari and Hajj camp settlements, to mention but a few. These students are, however, faced with several challenges, the least of which is poor infrastructure to almost inadequate teaching and learning materials.

At Kwakwaci, the school has no perimeter fence and access can be gotten into the school from different angles and this lack of perimeter fencing is said to have opened up the school to become a habitat for hoodlums who have turned a section of the classrooms into smoking joints, especially in the evening hours.

During a visit to the school, Daily Trust on Sunday observed that there were men working in the school premises to carve out a portion, consisting of five blocks of dilapidated classrooms, with a fence being erected to separate the portion from the school land.

 

A senior staff of the school, who preferred anonymity, while conducting our reporters around the school, said “smokers usually find shelter here (pointing at some of the dilapidated classrooms). Some people do hold church services too. So, what is happening now is this part (the section being carved out), will be used to build shops and whatever is acquired from it will be used to renovate the school. That’s what we were told.”

The same thing, Daily Trust on Sunday discovered, was already in operation at the Maikwatashi school, which is now flanked by corner shops.

A staff at Kwakwachi school said “It is KNUPDA that is doing the fencing,” adding, however, that they were not officially informed of who will own the plots being carved out for shops.

“But the argument often advanced is that allocating part of the school land to erect shops was done in the interest of the school, to revive it. They say criminals will have no access to the school when the shops are built and the school will benefit,” he said.

He also added that this argument made sense to some of them because of the sorry state of the school and how “thieves from neighbouring areas stole most of the aluminium roofing sheets.

“The iron rafter and the aluminium were allegedly carted away by thieves. Look at those buildings (pointing toward a building), the school authority removed a few remnants and kept for safety because if we leave them, they will be stolen too.

“Some woods were used to repair benches and desks. In fact, the school has no security man. We once had one old man who retired and since then, there’s been no replacement.”

But others said the argument holds no water because the Maikwatashi School’s corner shop which is supposed to be the model for Kwakwachi has not delivered any dividends for the school.

It was gathered that Maikwatashi School does not have a functional toilet facility despite the erected corner shops.

It was further observed that because of this lack of functional toilet facility, students, when in session, urinate and defecate openly inside the school, especially behind buildings or bushy areas.

A staff of the school said “thugs are often seen here smoking openly. This is their centre (pointing at a block of classrooms), especially in the evening. If you can come here, you will see them everywhere.”

At Kwakwaci, there are at least eight functional classrooms and 10 blocks consisting of 20 classrooms that are not in use because of their dilapidated state. 

A mechanic close to the school, Haruna Musa, said because the school does not have perimeter fencing “some motorists drive through the school. If you come here in the evening, you’ll see different football teams playing. There is no security in the school. But with this development (the corner shops), the school will be fenced, toilet provided and classes renovated, that’s what we believe.”

He said scavengers are always seen moving around the school premises and picking up anything including metals from damaged chairs.

“We heard that women are even brought in here in the night for those that can’t afford a lodge. Who will stop them? In fact, in the past there was a report that a corpse was once found in the school premises,” Musa added.

A teacher also lamented that not too long ago, “the school laboratory was burgled and a cylinder stolen. In fact, the thieves attempted to burgle our staff room; it is just God that is saving us.”

Reacting to the development, the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA), Ado Gama, said “It is not KNUPDA that is carving out the school land for building shops. The schools are going to be renovated, not only that, the classes, in particular, have dilapidated beyond repairs. New ones have to be erected.

“That part will be given out by the government to the people. Go and ask the government who it will give the land. We don’t have jurisdiction over schools.”

The PRO said for more details on the project, “the School-based Management Committee (SBMC) and the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) should be contacted. They are the ones that can tell why a part of the school land is being used for shops.”

He, however, further stated that about 20 schools will be affected by the policy of ceding parts of their lands to renovate the school, and they include GSS Stadium, GSS K/Nasarawa, Bachirawa, and Maikwatashi, among others. 

Reacting to the development, the state Chairman of the School-based management committee (SBMC), Tijjani Haladu Baraya, said he was not aware of the development.

“To be honest with you, I am not aware. I am hearing it for the first time from you and SBMC has nothing to do with those corner shops. We did not ask for it. I know it was stopped sometime last year, but I will investigate.”

When contacted, the Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Education, Lauratu Ado Diso, said she has nothing to do with the issue and will not comment on it.

“I have been asked this question before. I am not going to say anything about it. It is KNUPDA that will respond,” she told one of our reporters.

On his part, the Executive Secretary, Kano State Senior Secondary Schools Management Board (KSSSMB), Bello Shehu, said the board only manages the schools as it relates to students and teachers but has no mandate on buildings or structures.

Meanwhile, the state chairman, Parent Teachers Association (PTA), Sani Salisu Danhassan, has debunked any information associating them with the development while promising to state their position on the issue in a week’s time.

“We are not aware of that development and we are not happy. But we are going to sit for a meeting and state our position on that by next week,” he said.