- Most of our pupils stopped coming to school over dangerous structures – Headmistress
For teachers and pupils of Methodist Primary School, Oke-Ese, Ilesa, Osun State, teaching and learning have become terrifying and dangerous following the decaying state of infrastructure in the school.
Not only that the school is dotted with dilapidated classrooms, collapsed roofs, cracks on walls, fallen windows, blown-off roofs and other abandoned structures due to their inhabitable conditions, the cemetery its shares boundary with is already encroaching into the school premises.
The school management and other stakeholders have lamented the neglect of the school by the state government, saying that enrollment of pupils is fast declining as the few pupils available and their teachers panic whenever they see fresh graves close to their classrooms.
A visit to the school by The Point revealed that the primary school which was owned by the Methodist Church before the government took over management and control of missionary schools, lacks clean toilets and other basic amenities that will aid teaching and learning.
Some blocks of classrooms have already collapsed and therefore been abandoned. The few ones that are currently being occupied are in much deteriorated conditions.
It was gathered that the only structures that are fairly managed are the Headmistress office and staff room but the roofs are leaking.
The Point learned that pupils are drenched inside their classrooms whenever it rains while a few can only be accommodated in the offices.
To worsen the matter, some pupils have to be sitting on stones owing to insufficient available chairs.
MOST OF OUR PUPILS STOPPED COMING TO SCHOOL OVER DANGEROUS STRUCTURES, PRESENCE OF CEMETERY – HEADMISTRESS
The Headmistress of the school, Mrs. Mary Foluke Ajibola said in an interview that most pupils have stopped coming to the school because of its dangerous conditions as many classrooms are about to collapse.
Ajibola said the Methodist Church that buries members at the cemetery has been encroaching into the school premises and the situation has been creating fear among teachers and pupils.
“I cannot point to any structure in this school that is in good condition. Everything has worn out. The roofs of the classrooms have blown-off, there are no windows and doors. The pupils’ toilet has been taken over by weeds and they now have to defecate in bushes around.
“Since I was transferred to this school, it has been in very worrisome condition. Most blocks have been abandoned because their roofs have caved-in and we had to evacuate pupils from classrooms with cracked walls.
“The number of our pupils is fast decreasing because many of them are afraid as a result of the cemetery that is already getting close to their classrooms. Something needs to be done urgently,” she said.
PTA, ALUMNI BODY, OTHER STAKEHOLDERS REACT, TASK GOVERNMENT
Stakeholders including the Parents, Teachers Association of the school and its alumni body have expressed worry over the rots in the school, calling on the state government to save the situation.
Mrs. Funmilayo Olaifa, one of the parents in the school said, “When my children finished from Methodist Primary School, Oke-Ese, there were many people in the school. I am here to represent my grandchildren. We are not happy with the condition of this school.”
In a similar vein, a lady who graduated from the school a few years back, Victoria Olalere, disclosed that, “When we were in the school, it used to be very conducive and beautiful. Then, there were so many pupils that the assembly ground hardly contained us. I currently have my three children schooling there but I am not happy with its present condition. The structures are dilapidated and children’s lives are at risk.”
The PTA chairman of the school, Stephen Audu, said public schools started experiencing rots when the government stopped payment of development levy and other tuition.
“Before, pupils used to pay development levy and some other fees. At that time, whenever any of the classrooms collapse or become bad, it is from this money that we use in building new structures and renovating the school. But, there came a time when a government stopped payment of development levy in schools and parents no longer gave the school any money for their children because they didn’t want to go against the order of the government. Ever since, our school has been in a horrible state and nothing is being done to renovate it. As a result of the poor condition of the school, we now record low enrollment and the number of pupils is decreasing,” he stated.
Audu called on the state government to urgently renovate the facility, saying “We urge the government to do the needful since it has taken over the school from its original owner.”
The President of 1987 set of Old Students Association of the school, Adejuyitan Adedokun, expressed disappointment over the deteriorating state of his alma mater.
He said, “When we were in this school, we enjoyed schooling. Learning was fascinating because the structures were in good condition. We had free meals and things were much organised. We learnt very well and we enjoyed the government of that time. But, to our surprise, we returned to this school and discovered that it is now in shambles. Government has not done anything to maintain it. The structures have collapsed and others still standing are in dangerous condition. The children are sitting on the floor because there are no chairs for them, roofs blown off, weeds taken over many blocks, the school looks abandoned and nothing appears to be working.
“Some children are using stones to sit. When we looked at the situation, this really touched us and that was why we the alumni body of 1987 decided to purchase some set of chairs that we can afford for the school.”
WE’LL FENCE OFF CEMETERY ONCE WE GET MONEY – METHODIST CHURCH
When contacted, a cleric of the Methodist Church, Oke-Ese, Ilesa, that owns the cemetery, Rev. Ajayi Oludare, said the church would fence off the graveyard from the school once it gets money.
“It is one of the things that the church has been discussing when we got here on how to make a fence to divide the school from the cemetery where we bury our departed church members. We believe that this fence will give students rest of mind to face their studies. My superior had already been discussing this issue with the church and he really wants to make this fence as soon as possible. I only pray that God will provide for the church to carry out this task,” the cleric said.
RENOVATION WILL START IN OCTOBER – GOVERNMENT
The chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Fadipe Ibukun Isola, said approval has been received for the renovation of the school in October.
