Residents of Bauchi have noted that the condition of primary and secondary education of public schools still remains uncertain in Bauchi State despite several claims by the state government that it had secured the sector.
They say the system is bedeviled with many setbacks including huge infrastructure deficit characterized by dilapidated school buildings and unhygienic environments, non-availability of classrooms, some with leaking roofs and collapsing walls, toilet facilities and water among other critical provisions for a conducive learning environment.
Rural schools just a few kilometers away from the state capital are grappling with a severe shortage of teaching staff occasioned by dilapidated structures that kills the hope of pupils seeking for qualitative basic education.
This was part of the live phone-in-program presented by the new FM station Eagle Radio Bauchi on Wednesday. The one hour length program started at about 10:00 am and ended at 11:00 am monitored by Wikkitimes.
The topic of the program tagged ‘The condition of primary and secondary education in Bauchi, Role of the state government, and the communities’. Was anchored by Shehu Ibrahim Aliyu.
All the contributors in the program faulted the state government for its little concern to the basic education especially in rural areas.
A caller Muhammad Godoso, from Wuntin Godoso of Bauchi local government area said, “Here in my village we lose hope in educating our wards as Wuntin Godoso primary school was destroyed by the windstorm. We have made several complaints about the condition for almost 5 years but the authorities concerned did not heed to our request”.
Muhammad noted that during the rainy season parents resort to sending their children to farm due to a lack of educational opportunities.
Another caller from Bauchi metropolis Dan Bala Fada, attributed that the government concentrated only on urban schools while those in rural communities are in limbo. He noted with dismay that there is one village almost 6 Kilometers away from Bauchi metropolis; the primary has only one block which converted to store where people storing their farm produced due to lack of teachers, and other learning necessities.
He said it became a norm to some teachers in rural areas that they abandoned their places of assignment. He said this attitude is tarnishing the efforts of the government in overhauling the education sector.
He advised the government to employ the services of professional bodies to design an implementable roadmap that will ensure equitable access to quality and functional education.
Also, a Mal Yau, a caller from Bauchi metropolis said even within the state capital Jahun and Wayan Makafi Primary Schools are lagging behind in terms of basic learning materials including class desk and lack of qualified teachers.”The absence of smooth boards, chalks, textbooks, notebooks, and other resources hampers their learning”, he said.
Another caller from Toro LGA narrated that the Primary schools of Tingare, Gwambo and Wankai villages in Lame Toro local government area witnessed high dropout rate because all the schools was destroyed by windstorm yet nothing has been done and students strive for an education within the dilapidated structure.
He called on the state government to come to their aid to renovate and build new classes so as to better the lives of future children.
Pharm Abubakar Ibrahim from Toro and Kamal Dauda Isah from Dass, advised the people to re-strategies for community rehabilitation on any facility provided by the government.
They also advised people, especially those in rural areas, to send their children to school even if there are no functional classes they can study under the tree.
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