In the heart of Kurmi village, Ningi local government area of Bauchi State, lies a primary school in a state of disrepair.
At least 1000 learners are denied access to learning whenever it rains in the community because teachers and pupils alike do not have where to stay.
The ruinous situation makes it necessary for the school to close whenever it rains because pupils and teachers lack place to protect them from the rains.
Kurmi community has only one primary school that trains over 600 children in basic literacy and numeracy.
It also houses a junior secondary school with around 400 students that continue with educational pursuit in the village.
However, the current condition of the school appears to be eroding any hope for serious teaching and learning to take place.
WikkTimes observes that the school has turned into a symbol of disrepair and the deplorable condition is apparent that students cannot even find a seat or a protection against windstorm that often distracts their lessons.
With the junior secondary school now called upper basic, Kurmi Primary School now doubles as a secondary school is in a state of ruins, which is supposed to provide basic and intermediate basic education to the youngsters.
Teachers Speak
A concerned community activist told WikkTimes that the school faces an uncertain future, threatening the education of over 1,000 students.
Rilwan Bala, a youth activist, expressed the community’s frustration: “We’ve lost hope. The school’s roof was destroyed by a windstorm, leaving classrooms open and students exposed to dangers and distractions.”
Bala added “Our pleas to the authorities have fallen on deaf ears.”
“It has six classrooms, four were destroyed by windstorm and the remaining two are leaking as some parts of the roofing sheet also were destroyed,” he said.
A teacher in the primary section who spoke through phone to WikkiTimes but preferred his identity concealed for possible backlash said they have forwarded written complaints and requests about the condition of the school more than ten times to the local education authority (LEA) and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
Another teacher, who also wished to remain anonymous, revealed the school’s dire situation: “With over 400 students in the junior section and 600 in the primary section, we struggle to cope. During rain, we can’t open the school due to the lack of classrooms and administrative offices.”
Kurmi community, with about 5000 residents, attempted to pool resources together for repairing the school but poverty and harsh economic situation could not allow their mission to be accomplished.
Out of School Children
According to a UNICEF report, Bauchi State has one of the highest rates of out-of-school children in Nigeria, with about 1.3 million of children aged 6-11 not enrolled in school which represent 49.5 per cent.
However, the authorities in the State said efforts have been put in place to improve the educational system through programmes such as the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) programme, which has enrolled 153,398 out-of-school children in school.
School Based Management Community (SBMC), Mal. Yau Gata lamented the negligence of the school from the authorities.
He said community efforts to rehabilitate the school has halted due to economic constraints that have hindered their progress in that regard.
WikkiTimes observes that there is a need for urgent attention from the authorities to address the educational infrastructure in Kurmi village, ensuring a safe and conducive learning environment for the children.
SBMC chairman Mal Yau Gata, of the school decries the negligence from the authorities concerned. He said they are doing a community rehabilitation to save the school but it’s now out of hand.
