Schools painting causes uproar in Katsina

The recent commencement of rehabilitation and reconstruction works on primary and secondary schools across Katsina State as promised by the All Progressives Congress (APC),administration in the state was well received giving the deplorable conditions they were in. The state governor, Aminu Masari, had promised to make education his priority in which about 25 percent of […]

The recent commencement of rehabilitation and reconstruction works on primary and secondary schools across Katsina State as promised by the All Progressives Congress (APC),administration in the state was well received giving the deplorable conditions they were in.
The state governor, Aminu Masari, had promised to make education his priority in which about 25 percent of the total budget of the state was allocated to the sector in this year’s appropriation bill.
It was estimated that about N45 billion was needed to fix the deplorable condition of education at primary and secondary levels. The primary schools would require N23 billion while N22 billion would be needed for the secondary schools.
With the task ahead, some selected schools among which are Hassan Usman model school, Modoji in Katsina and Aya primary school in Funtual were among the pilot phase of the schools rehabilitation and expansion programme of the administration.
As lofty as the idea was, it was with joy and relief to both parents, teachers and several other stakeholders that work had begun with some even completed giving the schools a new lease of life.
However, to the surprise of many, the some of the schools which were being rehabilitated began to adorn the colours of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), an action that sent tongues wagging as to the reason behind it. Prior to the “APC colours”, the schools wore milk and green colours. Most of the rehabilitated schools were built by successive governments of the state.
A resident of Katsina, Bishir Ruwangodiya, said as far as he was concerned, the repainting of the schools with APC colours, was wrong. He said in the past, the painting that was there are national colours which are uniformed across the federation.
He said, for the outlook of the schools to be changed portraying or showcasing the colours of the ruling party was wrong because not all those attending the schools are from a single party.
Ruwangodiya said there may be other people who may be sympathetic to other parties so where the constitution guarantees an individual’s freedom to association is no longer feasible.
According to him, “even if we must repaint the schools is not what matters the most, but how to make teaching and learning better by getting efficient manpower and teaching materials. But since the government has started with painting, I think we should not paint them using APC colours because it is sentimental and may provoke others who may not have same opinion of the ruling party.
“Public structures should not carry the colours of any party. I think this is close to objectivity, humanity and fairness,” he added.
The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Salisu Majigiri said the action is totally wrong and out of place. He said, if the PDP in its 16 years reign had painted all the structures it had built like the schools, hospitals and government house with PDP colours, it would have taken years for the APC to repaint them.
He said that,the PDP did not paint structures with the party colours because as a ruling party, it should accommodate all the views and opinions of others whom are citizens but not party people.
“We built and used neutral colours on public properties. I can tell you that it was only our state secretariat that had PDP colours, but all our projects of the last 16 years are neutral colours even the new government house that APC is enjoying now,” he added.
When contacted, the state chairman of the APC, Shittu Shittu, said there was nothing wrong with the act because the country in now APC and “it is a symbol of a legacy we intend to leave.”
He added that “if the PDP during their tenure could not fix the schools and teachers issues, overpopulated classes which made teaching and learning difficult, to me this expansion and rehabilitation is in the right direction because we promised that and we are delivering on our promises.”
According to him, it was a clear case of mischief and agony of defeat on the part of the opposition saying that there is no law banning such painting as such the actions of the APC did not contravene any law of the land.
He said, such situation happened in Kano and other places and it was APC way of doing things and in the next few months more schools will get the facelift for the better.
However, the state commissioner of Information, Hamza Brodo, said “I don’t understand this rhetoric. As far as I’m concern, I don’t know anything as repainting schools with APC colours, which schools are they talking about.”
According to him, “we are aware of places were issues like this are heard. What has paint got to do in this? What matters is what was done to make the schools better.
“As far as I’m concerned, colour is indifferent but if people observation is this, it might just be a mere coincidence,” he added.