Pathetic tales of Ogun poultry-shed school

Bidemi Akeem was confused as to the actual name of his school. An 11-year- old Akeem was in primary five. When asked about his school’s name, he stammered then managed to smile,  ran up to one of his classmates and friends dragged him before the reporter, then turned to the friend and asked in Yoruba: […]

Bidemi Akeem was confused as to the actual name of his school. An 11-year- old Akeem was in primary five. When asked about his school’s name, he stammered then managed to smile,  ran up to one of his classmates and friends dragged him before the reporter, then turned to the friend and asked in Yoruba: “ki loruko school wana na?” Meaning: What is the name of our school?

Akeem’s friend, Laolu answered: “All Saints Anglican Primary School.” But another female pupil was to interject: “The school’s name is not All Saints Sir; it is erm, erm, Local Government Primary School.”

As the debate raged on between the two pupils as to the exact name of their school, three of their classmates also joined them and when the reporter noticed it was becoming rowdy, he dispersed them.

Though alarming that pupils in primary five could not confidently pronounce the name of their school, yet that perhaps was the least of absurdities in an environment where dilapidated poultry structure deserved to be  classrooms.

Maybe the pupils were not to be blamed after all. They have only been relocated to the poultry-shed four years ago after an incident at their former school site claimed the lives of several of them. While the idea of relocation was novel, the poultry shed  which served as their classes had all the signals of awaiting disaster.

With a half of the roof gone, the shed was an open arena where pupils and their teachers were exposed to heat of sunlight and rain. The wooden pillars holding the roofs were creaking, the sheets of asbestos on the rooftop were caving in. The floor that spanned through the six classrooms was unpaved, raising dust at the slightest provocation.

With no distinct window, door or demarcating wall of the classes, the poultry-shed had the pupils attending classes in a free wheeling space with market-like rowdiness.

“As you can see for yourself, this place used to be run as poultry shed. The structure is dilapidating and the roofs are being destroyed on daily basis. Anytime it rains, there is no class for the day because you can see how exposed we are,” Modupe Daodu, the school headmistress said. 

Daodu said despite the poor state of the poultry shed, parents still came to register their wards every academic session. 

On the confusion among the pupils as to the actual name of the school, the headmistress explained that until 2013 when the school was relocated, it used to be known as All Saints Anglican Primary School (annex) but  “it is now known as Local Government Primary School, Ajaguna, Ewokoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.’’

The pupils’ agony was not meant to last forever. Gbenga Ademosun, Ogun State Commissioner for Cooperative and Community Development, known by many as the son of the soil was said to have gotten wind of the plight of the primary school. He was said to have approached his colleague, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Modupe Mojota, with an appeal for swift action.

 Mojota who was said to have been alarmed with photographs of the school she was confronted with, promised immediate action. 

The Head, Oando Foundation, Mrs Adekanola Adegoke, narrated how the state Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology had brought the pathetic state of the school to the foundation’s attention and how heartbroken she was, seeing the pupils learning in such pitiable environment.

“We were heartbroken coming here to see the state of the school. Even though the school was not initially in our planned programme, we just have to find a way to accommodate it and act fast. And it was not just the foundation that did this but numerous other partners,” she said.

However, some of the villagers who spoke with Daily Trust correspondent said whereas they were very happy that the foundation had shown the way by building the block of six classrooms, they would appreciate if the state government could  also build more classrooms as it was evident that what was on ground might not accommodate the population of the school children.