Wike fumes as pupils sit on floor in Abuja school

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed displeasure over the dilapidated building of the Local Education Authority Primary School in the Bagusa area of Abuja.

The school under Abuja Municipal Area Council, with a population of about 200 pupils, has only six classes and a creche built by the community, but without walls, except a zinc roof supported by pillars of wood.

The class has only 16 desks, and of the six classes, only the creche section has a cement floor, forcing the pupils to sit on the bare floor to learn.

In his reaction, Wike, who spoke through the Mandate Secretary, Education Secretariat of the FCT Administration, Dr Danlami Hayyo, on Thursday, directed the FCTA to reconstruct the classrooms of the school.

Hayyo, while speaking with journalists shortly after inspecting the school in Abuja on Thursday, said Wike was concerned about the condition of the school and the challenge it poses to the learning outcomes of the pupils.

READ ALSO: Wike pegs Abuja CofO at N5m

He said for the short and long-term solution to the problem, the FCTA would complete the construction of existing classrooms built by the community and construct additional classrooms for the school.

This, according to him, will ensure the pupils properly transit from the primary level to Junior Secondary School on the same site.

Hayyo added that the construction would be executed swiftly and efficiently to guarantee a conducive learning environment for the pupils.

He said the FCTA would collaborate with relevant authorities and stakeholders, including the Universal Basic Education Board on the counterpart funding to expedite construction of the classrooms.

To further safeguard the school’s land, Hayyo advised community members to keep off the school land.

He explained that the school was established by the previous administration, adding that no single structure was erected by the administration since its establishment.

He said the deplorable state of the school was brought to the minister’s attention through a media publication and immediately directed an inspection visit and immediate action.

The FCTA official added that the school would be converted to a modern school where both primary and Junior Secondary Schools would be situated in the same location to ensure the transition from primary to Junior Secondary School.

The Star