Parents, teachers lament dilapidated state of FCT school

Parents and teachers of the Local Education Authority (LEA) Primary School in Bassan Jiwa community, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), have expressed concern over the dilapidated condition of the school, saying it poses a serious threat to the safety of pupils and teachers. Some parents who spoke with Abuja Metro during a visit to the […]

Parents and teachers of the Local Education Authority (LEA) Primary School in Bassan Jiwa community, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), have expressed concern over the dilapidated condition of the school, saying it poses a serious threat to the safety of pupils and teachers.

Some parents who spoke with Abuja Metro during a visit to the school at the weekend said one block of four classrooms, attached to the headmaster’s office, is in a deplorable condition, with its roof largely blown off and the ceiling caved in.

A parent, Mr Taninu Bala, said the state of the classrooms had become an eyesore, exposing pupils to harsh weather conditions.

He said the poor condition of the classrooms had made learning difficult for both teachers and pupils, forcing teachers to hold classes under a tree to shield pupils from the scorching sun.

“The moment clouds begin to gather, teachers ask the children to go home because the classrooms are no longer suitable for learning, as most of the roofs have been blown off,” he said.

Another parent, Mr Gambo A. Magaji, said the classrooms had remained in their current state for more than two years, making teaching and learning difficult.

He described the situation as unfortunate, noting that academic activities are often disrupted whenever it rains.

According to him, the roof of the block of four classrooms was blown off about two years ago, yet teachers have continued to manage the situation.

“Whenever it is about to rain, teachers have no option but to ask the children to return home because the entire roof of the classroom block has been blown off,” he said.

A teacher from the community, who requested anonymity, described the condition of the school as a nightmare for staff.

He said teachers often feel helpless during the rainy season because there is no suitable place to conduct lessons.

The Chairman of the school’s Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), Dalhatu Usman, also expressed concern over the condition of the classrooms.

He said officials of the LEA had visited the school twice following complaints submitted by the association, but no action had been taken.

According to him, the officials took photographs of the affected classrooms and assured the community that the roofs would be replaced.

“The first visit was sometime in November last year after the PTA wrote to the LEA. They returned again in February this year with a photographer who took pictures of the classrooms. But as I speak with you today, work has not commenced as promised, and we are already in the rainy season,” he said.

An official of the LEA in AMAC, Mr Bitrus Barnabas, told our reporter on the telephone that the authority had written to the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) regarding the condition of the school.

He said he personally delivered the letter to the board and was assured that renovation work would commence before the rainy season fully set in.

“I personally conveyed the letter submitted by the PTA chairman to the UBEB in February this year, and we were assured that renovation work would be carried out on the school,” he said.

Barnabas, however, said he could not explain the delay in commencing the project but promised to make inquiries.
Efforts to reach the Public Relations Officer of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), Lawal Ibrahim, for comments were unsuccessful.

However, a board official who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that the board had received a report, accompanied by photographs of the school.

The official said the school had been included among schools in AMAC slated for renovation before the end of the year.

“As I have always said, renovation of primary, junior secondary and secondary schools across the FCT has been ongoing for more than two years. I want to assure you that all dilapidated schools, including those with damaged roofs, will be rehabilitated,” the official said.