The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the reconstruction of four blocks of modern classrooms at the LEA Primary School, Bagusa, in Abuja Municipal Area Council, following a PUNCH report highlighting the pupils’ learning challenges.
In the PUNCH report titled “Ghetto in paradise: Abuja pupils learn in sheds, endure dump’s odour”, our correspondent noted that the school was located a few metres from a dumpsite, adding that when it rained, the classes couldn’t hold because of the stench.
The report also indicated that the school had no basic amenities such as desks, chairs, and other basic amenities, “despite the over N614m approved by the Federal Government between 2020 and 2023 for the construction and provision of school infrastructure in the FCT, according to the Budget Office”.
Our correspondent also observed that despite having a population of over 380 pupils, the school had no dedicated blocks of classroom or toilet facilities and the pupils often jostled to sit on the few available desks and chairs.
However, FCT Mandate Secretary of Education, Danlami Ihayyo, disclosed on Friday, that the minister had ordered the immediate construction of four classrooms and the completion of another block of three classrooms which was built by the Bagusa community.
The secretary disclosed this to journalists, after an inspection tour of the school, and lamented the poor conditions under which the pupils undertook learning activities.
He added that the previous administration had failed to build any structure in the school since its establishment.
“We came for an inspection of this school because we learnt that the school was established by the previous administration. After the establishment of the school, there was no single structure provided by the previous administration.
“So, it came to our notice when we saw a post in one of the newspapers. So, the Minister of the FCT directed us to come and inspect the school so that he would see how he could intervene so that the school would look very nice and the children would learn in a very conducive environment,” he said.
