Special Report: In Kwara, students learn under collapsing, leaking classrooms

Despite billions of naira released to the state government in recent years by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), several schools in Kwara State are still begging for attention.

A recent visit to Government Day Secondary School, Fate in Ilorin East Local Government Area painted a vivid picture of the neglect that has befallen the school. 

The Informant247 observed an ongoing renovation of a block of 3 classrooms during a visit to the school on a sunny Tuesday afternoon. 

This reporter’s greetings drew the attention of one of the bricklayers later identified as Mr Sheu. He stopped what he was doing and dropped his shovel to attend to the greetings.

When asked about the renovation, he said, “This renovation is not done by the government. This section we are renovating belongs to the senior students, and it is being done by the old students.”

The Informant247 also observed that of all the classrooms in the senior secondary school, only a block of two classrooms was conducive to learning, and it was renovated by the 1996 old Students.

At the junior section, one of the teachers this reporter met on the premises, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the roofing sheet at the Senior School was removed by thieves who capitalized on the school’s lack of security to sneak in the middle of the night. 

He, however, furthered that far beyond the stolen roofing sheets, the school needs total rehabilitation as most of the classrooms are leaking and collapsing.

He said, “We have only two functional classrooms renovated in 2017 through SDG intervention, if not for the Old Student Intervention, the school would have probably by now hold classes under tree.

“As you can see over there, only a block of two classes is still in better condition, and that one is also leaking. So whenever it rains, students will be drenched and learning activities will stop for that day.

“So far beyond the stolen roof, the blocks have been collapsing, and we have made several efforts to reach the SUBEB Chairman to no avail. We have written several letters, but none was responded to.”

School has no functional toilets, education facilities

The Informat247 also observed that the school has no functional toilets. Students and their teachers have two options when they feel a need to use the toilet: go to nearby shrubs or wait until closing hours.

The teacher lamented that some students turned to the nearby bushes, which he said was dangerous.

“Is it only the toilet that you didn’t see, this school has hundreds of senior science students with no standard laboratory, no library. In short, we don’t have any educational facilities. Just a block of two classrooms with leaking roofs. That is all we have got for now,” he said.

Teachers fear classrooms’ collapse; Government warns against talking about it

He said while teachers and the school management feared the classrooms might collapse on students anytime, the government warned them not to talk about the school’s condition to anyone.

He said the teachers and students are always afraid that the classroom might collapse one day.

“You know, we have that fear that any of these buildings might just collapse one day, but our prayer is that it shouldn’t be during school hours. Please don’t include my name. The government, through SUBEB and TESCOM has warned us not to speak to anyone about the school’s condition. Not only us, but all other schools. 

We’re not happy: Old students

Speaking with The Informant247, The PRO of the Old Student, 2004 Set, Shittu Sunday, lamented the condition of the school. 

He said the school lack Sciences Laboratory science, library, toilets, facilities for recreation and extracurricular activities, chairs and tables.

He said, “Most of the classes being used by the student were renovated by old students. Governor AbdulRaham AbdulRazaq-led administration has left the school to its fate. This is unheard of for a public school owned by the government.”

Don’t write anything – TESCOM boss

During an interview with the Chairman of the state’s Teaching Service Commission, TESCOM, Mallam Bello Tauheed Abubakar, he acknowledged the bad condition of the school’s classrooms but asked this reporter not to write anything about it, saying the government is planning its renovation already.

He said, “See, we are planning something big for that school. Don’t write anything about the school yet.”

We are waiting for students caught with the stolen roofing sheets to repair it – SUBEB

For their part, the Ilorin East Education Secretary of Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Comrade AbdulMalik AbdulRauf Asude, who The Informant247 met in the presence of SUBEB chairman, Prof. Sheu Adaramaja, said the government apprehended two students involved in the theft of roofing sheets.

He disclosed that the government had communicated with the parents of the apprehended students, outlining a collaborative initiative where the government would provide the roofing sheets, while the parents would contribute planks and nails to complete the roofing.

“We are still waiting for the parents to do their part,” he said.