For the residents of Agbaugama in Ezzagu/Ohofia Ward, Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, the unthinkable is happening in their education sector.
Igwebuike Primary School, one of the public schools that have produced many prominent sons and daughters of the state have gone into dilapidation.
The residents are also alleging that the state government has abandoned the facility more than a year after a major classroom block was vandalised.
WITHIN NIGERIA equally gathered that the community also accuse the state government of forcing the pupils to learn in unsafe and severely dilapidated classrooms despite repeated appeals to the Ebonyi State Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) and other authorities to rehabilitate the school.
When our reporter visited the school, the building was in a sorry state as the roofing has been pulled off. None of the teachers was willing to react on the matter for fear of victimization.
There was a case of the roofing sheets, wooden framework, doors and windows missing.
There was also large sections of the building been exposed to harsh weather, while overgrown weeds, shrubs and worn-out structures reflect what residents describe as years of neglect.
One of the community leaders Jacob Enwe told our reporter that the missing roofing sheets could be the handiwork of the scrap metal scavengers.
“According to Mr. Enwe ” so many school prooerty were stolen by these scavengers.
“After the incident, officials of the Ebonyi State Universal Basic Education Board visited the school but allegedly said the arrested suspects would have to pay ₦75 million—an amount they claimed represented the cost of constructing the building—before rehabilitation would be carried out.
“How in earth do they expect these people to get this kind of money? Even if they sell them, will they be able to raise this kind of money from them? I don’t see it as rational decision.”
However, commending the arrest of the suspects, Mr. Enwe showed deep concern that the school had remained in ruins despite the government’s awareness of the damage.
Another community dweller, Josephat Mgbada told WITHIN NIGERIA that the shortage of teachers is another bane of education advancement in the area.
“For over half a decade now, our area have been in dire need of teachers. Those public school teachers who are posted usually go to their zonal office and ask them to retransfer to another school.
This is a big issue we have been having here. You don’t blame much because we don’t have electricity, potable water and good road network which make life enjoyable.
Mgbada further disclosed that although education officials reportedly informed residents that the primary school would be upgraded to a secondary school to serve the community, no rehabilitation or construction work has begun.
He however, alleged that the local government lacks the financial autonomy and muscle to execute development projects because federal allocations are controlled by the state government.
At the time of the report, the Ebonyi State Government and the Ebonyi State Universal Basic Education Board had not publicly responded to the allegations.
Meanwhile, residents are calling for urgent intervention to restore the school and improve access to quality education for children in the community.
All efforts to get the reaction of the state commissioner for education Dr. Donatus Chukwuma Ilang proved abortive as his phone was not going through.
