The board and management of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board, led by the director, Dr. Adamu Jatau Noma, has decried the deplorable conditions of some schools structures in the territory.
The management team made this known recently during an assessment tour of schools in the FCT.
At the LEA Primary School, Shinugu in Zuba Community area of Gwagwalada Area Council, the team observed that the school which comprises of primary 1 to 6 classes, has a total population of 282 pupils.
It has two functional blocks of 6 classrooms, while another block of 3 classrooms is in a state of dilapidation.
The team also noted that the toilets were in a bad state, coupled with erosion threatening the school environment due to the topographic nature of the land.
Head of the community, Mallam Umar Ibrahim, who expressed joy at the visit of the team, however, requested for the establishment of a Junior Secondary School in the area to absorb pupils from the primary school, and those of neighbouring villages like Chitumu, Tungancadan, Shaha and Tungan Gaye.
Addressing the community, Dr. Noma explained that “the existing structure needs to be put in proper shape first, before the construction of a new Junior Secondary School proposed within the primary school”.
On the visit of the team to Zuba South LEA Primary School, the Head teacher complained of inadequate classrooms, while the principal of JSS Gbessa on the other hand complained that the school borehole was damaged and therefore sought the intervention of the Board.
The director in order to meet the demand of the respective schools, promised to construct more classrooms and locate the contractor of the said borehole to find out what went wrong as well as proffer possible solution to it.
The team also visited the LEA Primary School Lokogoma Village, where it was discovered that the pupils received lessons in a church building, which is the main purpose of visiting the school in response to the complaint made by the Head Teacher of the School, Mrs. Cecelia Taudo.
According to the Head Teacher, “the school is left with the option of using the church because it is difficult for the school to move to its permanent site due to the demand of compensation by the villagers on the land proposed for the school before it can be built”.
Meanwhile, the chief of the host community in his address to the team, explained that the said land is 3.5 hectares owned by farmers who have planted some cash crops on it and that it is the farmers who are demanding for compensation before the school can be built.
Dr. Adamu Jatau Noma explained to the community the importance and benefits of the school to them when constructed, considering the fact that it is their children that will attend the school, which will be of help to those of them who cannot afford the high charges of the private schools.
He also told them that the school will be closed down temporarily “because the existing place is not conducive for learning, pending when the community resolves to provide the board with the land to be used to establish the school”.
He therefore advised the community leader to meet with his people to advise them appropriately on the importance of the school to the community and the future of their children.
The LGA Secretary of AMAC, Mallam Hamna Karshi, who was among the team, also advised the chief of the community to go and meet with all those concerned and communicate the outcome of the meeting to the Board to know when the construction of the school can commence and when the school will take off operation appropriately.
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