From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo.
The wish of every parent is to bequeath to his or her ward sound and qualitative education, so as to become responsible citizen in the society.
It is also the duty of a responsive and responsible government to create enabling environment for the teaching and learning of the pupils.
Unfortunately, the reverse is the case in some public primary and secondary schools in Oyo State, where situations are not only deplorable, but very pathetic.
Investigations conducted by our correspondent in Oyo and Ogbomoso revealed that apart from the fact that most of the schools are not fit for human habitation, lack of facilities for conducive learning poses serious threats to future of the younger generations.
Among these category of schools are Army Salvation School and the Baptist Secondary School, both located in Isokun area of Oyo town.
For the Army Salvation Primary School, both the pupils and their teachers resume under the shady trees for business of the day.
While the pupils sit uncomfortably on inadequate desks and benches under the trees to be taught, teachers’ tables and chairs are arranged close to the pupils in the same dusty and not-too-conducive environment.
The school fence had collapsed, thus embarrassingly and annoyingly subjecting both the pupils and teachers to ridicule and noise pollution by road users.
Some of the teachers, who spoke with our correspondent on conditions of anonymity, lamented what they referred to as “deplorable working conditions’’.
According to them, “What we go through is better imagined than experienced. Do you want to talk of the noisy environment during class hours or the kind of ridicule we are being subjected to by the motorists who look at us and the school with disdain? We resume here with the pupils, the so-called future leaders under this shady tree. Is that not disturbing in this millennium? We really pity these pupils,
honestly.’’
Concerning the Baptist Secondary School which is located in the same vicinity, though there are classrooms, there are no chairs and tables for the pupils.
They resume school in the morning and sit on the floor with their books on their lap, waiting for their teachers to be taught.
Some of the pupils interviewed, who looked disturbed and dejected, said they are learning with tears and discomfort.
The two schools are in the Oyo-West Local Government Area.
In his reaction, the caretaker chairman of the local government, Mr. Soji Ojo-awo, at a forum, said both schools are not within the purview of the local government.
According to him, “Though the schools are under the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) respectfully, the local government had provided additional classrooms for the pupils of Army Salvation School.’’
However, there was silence on the fate of the secondary school and why pupils of Salvation Army school still sit under the trees to learn, despite additional new classrooms as claimed.
In the same vein, about eight communities in the Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area of Ogbomoso land have decried what they described as inhuman conditions under which their pupils learn.
The communities are Ilofe, Aroya, Idi-Ori, Olugusi, Idi Araba, Olukosi, Iro Opete and Oniwata.
Leaders of the communities told our correspondent at their forum in Ajaawa, headquarters of the Local Government, that there were neither classrooms nor instructional materials for their pupils to learn.
Spokesman for the forum, Mr. Ola-Oluwa Adegoke, said churches, mosques, dilapidated buildings and shady trees are used as classrooms to teach the pupils.
“Besides, government has not thought it necessary to establish a primary school for us at Idi-Ori Village for instance, let alone furnish it. We want our children to learn and have brighter future, but we are left uncatered for despite repeated appeals and representation”
Adegoke stated that besides the fact that these communities are far away from one another, coupled with undulating terrain of the rural feeder roads, there were no potable water supply, rural electrification and primary health institutions.
“The few available rickety schools lack adequate qualified teachers, let alone the enabling environment. Despite the viabilities of these villages in terms of the economy, we are neglected and treated as sub humans. We are imploring the State Government to give us utmost consideration in the distribution of amenities, especially in the area of education. We don’t want our children to be enslaved for lack of
knowledge. They are our future hope. We urgently need both primary and secondary schools.”
He pointed out that Ajaawa, headquarters of the local government, has only secondary school, which also caters for about 10 other adjoining villages, adding that these villages are about three to four kilometres distant from one another.
“The school is not only bedevilled with inadequate teaching staff, it also lacks necessary teaching aids, especially in science subjects. As a result, parents cater for the provision of auxiliary teachers, and other needs of the school,’’ Adegoke stated.
