Date: 2021-01-28

For Alao Abdulateef, an SSS 3 pupil of Government Day Secondary School, Alore, Ilorin, Kwara State, the lack of a library in the school is not only appalling but having a terrible impact on learning.

"The pressure to study would not have been much if the school had a specific space where books would be provided for us to read.

"There is no way I can perform well in our examination because I did not read extremely well. It does not speak well that a school of this stature lacks a library where pupils can study.

"If not that we are striving and struggling to read, it would have been impossible for us to reach this final stage," he said.

He said the school has been struggling with various challenges ever since he started attending.

Besides lack of a library to read in the school premises, he lamented the inadequate classrooms, non-availability of computers, lack of specimen and apparatus in science laboratories. He, however, hopes those challenges making quality education a mirage would be solved soon by the state government.

He continued: "Government Day Secondary School, Alore, is my second home. I have been in this school for some years. The problem with our school is not collapsed classes alone. We don't have computers, libraries, even the science laboratory is filled with collapsed chairs without any equipment."

Pointing to a nearby class, Abdulateef said: "That class is roofless, it would have occupied SS2 students, but now they've joined them together in a poorly-ventilated class."

Poor learning environment

The deplorable conditions of all the classroom blocks are simply beyond human imagination. The ceilings have caved in while the walls are so weak that the students had to be evacuated from them to learn in the other buildings for fear that the structure could collapse at any time and that could spell a disaster.

Only three classroom blocks for both the Junior and Senior section had its roof in fairly good condition, leaving other students whose classroom roofs had fallen off to seek refuge in the dilapidated structure.

•School signage

The walls are decorated with cracks while the rubble of damaged furniture and collapsed ceilings complete the sorry sight of the 'door-less' classroom blocks.

Sources said the infrastructural decay in the school began years ago when the classrooms, furniture and toilet facilities became decrepit and nothing was done to fix them despite repeated promises made by the education authorities in the state after it was brought to their attention.

"The situation is beyond us. There is nothing we can do about it. Several letters have been written and forwarded to the state government with photographs of the terrible conditions of the classroom blocks in the school attached, but there has not been any fruitful response from the authorities," a source in the school said, pleading anonymity.

One of the school's senior officials who spoke with this reporter in confidence bemoaned the lack of standard facilities, good classrooms, indoor toilet, among others.

She said: "When past students visited the school, they were shocked that the school had remained the way they left it. They even went down to where the then exam hall was built, saying that this was where they wrote their WASSCE. There was once a foodshed here. It collapsed during the rainy season. We don't have conducive classrooms, toilets, libraries and laboratories. All our classrooms are damaged, we tried to fix windows and doors in three junior classrooms and in some senior classes. But more work needs to be done. The laboratory we have is empty. We're in an advanced age where computers are being used for learning, we don't have enough computers.

"The photocopier machine has stopped working. The parking lot needs to be fixed. The staffroom is leaking, including the staff toilet. Students excrete in the bush. Some unknown people entered the school premises and later built houses on the school land since there is no fence.

"We have been sending letters to the government, yet nothing has been done. I heard from a reliable source that GDSS Alore is not among the selected schools that the government wants to renovate with UBEC funds. I pray the government should please come to our aid and help the pupils."

Parents, pupils worried

A female student who craved anonymity explained that their teachers had shown concern about their plight. She said the situation had negatively affected their performance.

She said: "We can no longer concentrate because of the conditions. They joined pupils in the Commercial Department with those in Science because most of our classes have collapsed. We usually enjoy staying there during the harmattan season. Most times, we panic as the weather changes because our session would be halted when rain starts.

"The state authorities should help to rescue us from the hopeless situation of dilapidated structures and lack of good facilities."

Assistant Headboy of the school, Shittu Abdullah also lamented how the poor learning environment had affected them. He praised their teachers for striving to give their best despite lack of facilities.

He said: "Our teachers are working tirelessly to impart knowledge, despite the lack of facilities. What makes us look like dullards among others in society is that we're lacking many things including classrooms, libraries and science laboratories. Especially for those pupils in the Arts Department, there is no library to read novels. Secondly, there are many collapsed classrooms in the school and five pupils sit on a chair, it is very bad. How can we learn conveniently? I hope the government listens to our problems. I pray they help our future, it is very important." Also, Suliman Oba Ramat, an SS3 Science pupil, said their science laboratory usually borrows specimens from other schools.

• One of the classrooms with broken roof She said: "The situation at our school is very bad and we students are not happy about it. We lack learning facilities - like libraries, and science labs. We usually borrow some specimen from other schools. It is terrible. All our classes are in poor condition. There is no roof, window, door and we don't have a toilet."

A parent-teacher, who craved anonymity, said:" The staff tried to rehabilitate some classrooms before they completely collapsed. They have been trying to send letters to the government but they're yet to come to our aid. A politician came to the school, took pictures and promised changes,but nothing has been done.

"This school is at the centre of Ilorin Emirate, it shouldn't have been neglected. We are pleading with the government to come to our aid."

Former pupils want speedy intervention

Former pupils of the school are unhappy about the situation of their alma mater. They want the Kwara State government to intervene swiftly.

Musa Muritala Banda, a former pupil said: "We inspected the school premises. Some of the school buildings are roofless, some have collapsed. I plead with the state government to please take a quick action towards the reconstruction of the school."

Another former pupil, Temitope Habeebat, said: "My eyes were filled with tears when I saw the present situation of my alma mater. We urge the state government to act quickly and reposition the school."

Sofiullahi , a campus journalist, is a student of the Uthman Danfodio University (UDUS)