- We know our children are at risks but we’ve no choice – Parents
Public primary schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and many states of the federation are in sorry states with pupils learning under structures that pose severe threats to their lives, findings by The Point have revealed.
Despite billions of allocations on education infrastructure by the FCT administration and state governments, many schools under their watch remain in disrepair while others have been out rightly abandoned to the detriment of pupils who learn under trees and other uncomfortable conditions.
For instance, pupils at Local Education Authority Primary School, Kado Bmiko, located on Second Avenue, Gwarinpa in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Federal Capital Territory, have been forced to stop attending classes due to the deteriorating state of their classrooms.
Established in 2009, the school is plagued by leaking roofs and broken ceilings, leaving students exposed to harsh weather conditions during both the rainy and dry seasons.
Despite the FCTA allocating over N200 billion for education from 2023 to date — including N100 billion for school renovations and new construction — schools like LEA Primary School Kado Bmiko remain in a poor state, according to civic technology platform MonITNG.
It was gathered that many pupils in the community have dropped out due to the unsafe learning conditions.
According to MonITNG, “These unsafe learning environments have led many pupils in the community to abandon their education.”
“Education is a right, not a privilege. We call on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and FCT senator, Senator Ireti Kingibe to ensure that the 2025 budget includes provisions to renovate and equip our classrooms, providing pupils with a safe and conducive learning environment,” the platform added.
The poor state of public primary schools in the FCT has been a growing concern, with many parents and education advocates raising alarm over the neglect of educational facilities despite significant budgetary allocations.
Findings further revealed that the education crisis in the FCT has taken a toll on school enrollment and attendance as no fewer than 300 pupils have reportedly withdrawn from LEA Primary School, Gude in Kuje Area Council due to its deteriorating condition.
MonITNG disclosed that the school’s collapsing roofs, crumbling walls and unsafe environment have left students and teachers struggling to continue learning.
At another FCT school, LEA Nuruddeen Nursery and Primary School Karu (LEA Islamiyya School Karu) in Abuja, there is absence of basic amenities as pupils are forced to sit on the bare floor due to a lack of desks, while teachers have no chairs or tables.
The school also suffers from a lack of proper fencing, whiteboards, and essential learning materials, making it an unconducive environment for learning.
“The pupils of LEA Nuruddeen Nursery and Primary School Karu (LEA Islamiyya School Karu) Abuja are learning in unbearable conditions!” MonITNG stated in its appeal.
“They sit on the bare floor due to a lack of desks, while teachers have no chairs or tables.
The school has no proper fencing, no whiteboards, and lacks basic learning materials.
“Old classrooms are falling apart, and an abandoned building project remains unfinished, leaving the children without a safe and conducive learning environment,” the civic platform stated.
Also in Abuja, more than 220 pupils at the LEA Nomadic Primary School, Rogan Isah, Paikon Kore Grazing Reserve in Gwagwalada Area Council are being forced to endure dire conditions as they learn sitting on the bare floor.
With no proper classrooms, desks, or chairs, the children sit on the bare ground under a tree, struggling to receive education in an environment far from conducive to learning.
Heartbreaking images as revealed by MonITNG from the school revealed eager children, determined to learn despite the harsh realities they face.
In Niger State, pupils of Numba Koro Primary School in Suleja Local Government Area have been enduring deplorable learning conditions for the past seven years without government intervention.
The school suffers from blown roofs, broken walls, and lacks basic amenities such as windows, doors, toilets, and sufficient furniture.
According to a public accountability platform, Tracka, children are forced to sit on the bare floor during lessons and resort to using nearby bushes for sanitation needs.
This situation is a microcosm of a broader educational crisis in Niger State, which has one of the highest rates of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
According to a 2023 report by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, 40% of primary school-aged children in the state are not attending schools, surpassing the national average of 22%.
This alarming statistic places Niger among the states with the most significant educational challenges in the country.
The contributing factors to this crisis are multifaceted. Poverty, inadequate educational infrastructure, and insecurity have all played roles in escalating the number of out-of-school children.
In 2022, the Niger State Universal Basic Education Board reported that over 700,000 children were out of school, a situation exacerbated by banditry and attacks on educational institutions.
NSUBEB highlighted the severity of the issue, stating, “The number of out-of-school children in Niger State as of the last time we took count in January 2022 was 743,056.”
However, the plight of Numba Koro Primary School remains unaddressed.
Tracka has expressed concerns, stating, “This is no way to live or learn.”
In Oyo, the deteriorating condition of Community Primary School, Agbamu, in the Sanyo area of Ibadan, Oluyole Local Government Area, Oyo, urgently requires attention.
The school is grappling with a severe infrastructure crisis that significantly hampers the learning environment. Photos shared recently by MonITNG, revealed scenes of abandonment and neglect.
Despite the Oyo State Government allocating N67.69 billion to education in its 2024 budget, the poor state of Community Primary School, Agbamu suggests it was overlooked in the state’s infrastructure development plans.
The images highlight a school lacking essential facilities needed for effective teaching and learning.
Photos show classrooms in a state of disrepair, with leaking roofs, broken ceiling boards, and cracked walls, making the environment unsafe for learning.
In some images, pupils are seen sitting in an open space for lessons after their school block collapsed.
MonITNG reported that the absence of basic furniture, such as chairs and tables, forces students to sit on the floor, while teachers also lack proper furniture, affecting their morale and ability to teach effectively.
“This situation is unacceptable and requires immediate attention from the authorities,” MonITNG said.
“It is imperative that the Oyo State government, led by Governor Seyi Makinde, intervenes urgently to address the infrastructure challenges facing Community Primary School Agbamu.
“The children of this school deserve better learning conditions, and it is the government’s responsibility to provide them with a safe and conducive learning environment. We call on Governor Makinde to prioritize the renovation of classrooms, provision of basic furniture, and other necessary infrastructure to ensure that pupils receive the quality education they deserve,” the group added.
Also, the deplorable state of Igebo Primary School in Ibienafe, South Ibie, Etsako West Local government area of Edo State has been condemned.
Despite the allocation of over N113billion and $75million to EdoBEST, the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation programme, during former Governor Godwin Obaseki’s tenure from 2016 to 2024, the school remains in ruins.
The organisation shared disturbing images of the school’s condition on X, highlighting that over 187 pupils are denied access to education, while those who attend are forced to sit on the bare floor.
According to the group, the school lacks basic furniture like chairs and tables, and many classrooms are completely dilapidated.
MonITNG criticised the failure of former Governor Adams Oshiomhole and former Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, to prioritise the school’s renovation, despite being from the same Local Government area.
The group emphasised that Edo State has over 200,000 out-of-school children, and the collapse of Igebo Primary School exacerbates this crisis.
The organisation appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, to take action, stating that “a functional learning environment is a right, not a privilege.”
They urged the government to fix schools in Edo State, ensuring that children receive quality education.
For many parents interviewed by The Point, they don’t have the financial means of enrolling their wards in better schools.
A man, Fatai, whose three children attend LA Primary School, Oke-Baale, Osogbo, said he was aware that many facilities at the public primary school are dilapidated, saying, “I don’t have a choice than to allow them study there. I don’t have money to take them to private school. I am only taking care of them with what I make from my Okada business. The last time I visited their school, I saw that the roof of their classroom had blown away, which I think exposed them to risk, but I can’t help it.”
Other stakeholders in the education sector have urged the governments at all levels to prioritise basic education infrastructure to prevent further decline in school enrolment and learning outcomes.