Village where only 2 pupils completed primary school
Like other villages, the main occupation of the villagers is farming, fishing and animal husbandry as well. Though the village is surrounded by a river that is always flowing, the residents are not practicing irrigation farming. This, Weekly Trust observed, may not be unconnected with lack of facilities and techniques, among other things. Weekly Trust’s […]
Like other villages, the main occupation of the villagers is farming, fishing and animal husbandry as well. Though the village is surrounded by a river that is always flowing, the residents are not practicing irrigation farming. This, Weekly Trust observed, may not be unconnected with lack of facilities and techniques, among other things.
Weekly Trust’s visit to the village also revealed that nobody in the village has ever worked in the government and or for a private organization either as a full-time employee or as a casual worker. It was also learnt that whenever a letter is sent to the village from the government, somebody from elsewhere must be invited to read it for the community.
The condition which the community found itself may not be unconnected with the non-availability of social amenities including schools and hospitals. In the area of western education, the community solely depends on the only community primary school they established in 2008. The school was erected with roofing sheets.
Although in the past, parents in the area do send their wards to Madabe primary school in Madabe village, a village about 5km from Lafiya, but the children could not continue due to its long distance. Interestingly, with the establishment of the temporary community primary school, many children were given the opportunity to attend school. Presently, enrolment in the school has reached about 200 pupils while about 80 percent of them were retained as at February, 2010. Furthermore, two of its products are currently studying at the junior secondary school level.
After several complaints to the government suffered set a back, the community deemed it necessary to do something to uplift the status of the village educationally, hence, the idea to establish a community Primary school came up during a community meeting held in 2008. According to the Ward Head of the area, Mallam Saleh Hashimu, “our major task now is how to produce more educated people from this area. We are more concerned about the education of our children. That was why in 2008 we decided to establish this primary school to salvage the future of our children and we are ready to go to any length to achieve that. In fact I can assure you that with or without government’s assistance, we will do our best.”
For transportation however, the only means of transportation in the village are the local bull-cart for popularly known as ‘Amalanke’ in Hausa language, motorcycles and bicycles. Until recently when Buji local government began to construct a feeder road, the village had none.
Fortunately for the community, their decision to uplift the status of the village has started receiving blessings from both the government and the private sector. For instance, Buji local government has already provided a head teacher and three other teachers to the community primary school. This is in addition to the feeder road being constructed by the local government.
In addition to this, Weekly Trust gathered, the British Government Department for International Development (DFID), under its programme of Education Support Programme in Nigeria (SEPIN), has pledged to construct a classroom block, a borehole and a block of toilets for the community. Some of the villagers who spoke to Weekly Trust, expressed concern over the fate of the village and their children in particular. They assured that with recent developments, they are ready to support their wards acquire western education.
Mallam Musa Ibrahim stated that, “we are regretting that our village has been neglected by the government for many years. We have no school to send our children, no hospital to take our patients to and we have no good access road”. He explained further that since the community is committed to improve the status of the village, government should come to their aid, as according to him, the community needs little push to achieve the desired objectives.
Another resident, Mallam Bello Ilu, opined that what the community needs from the government now is a dispensary, saying “residents are facing difficulties conveying the sick to hospitals whenever the need arises”. Bello Ilu added that residents will continue with self help activities, noting that recently, some patriotic members of the community donated lands the school for future expansion.
The Village Head of the area, Mallam Saleh Hashimu, said the terrible condition that the community found itself is what motivated them to sit up in their effort to change. “After the temporary structure was erected as community school, I directed all wards heads in the village to embarked on public enlightenment campaign that, they hope to produce professionals in a near future, due to massive public enlightenment on school enrolment and retention. According to him, two of the village’s children are now in junior secondary schools as pioneers of western education acquisition.