Concerned Citizen Renovates Toilet In School For Special Needs, Ilesa, Seeks Osun Government Intervention

A concerned citizen of Osun State, Dr Oni Gbolabo John has stressed the need for stakeholders and government at all levels to intervene to aid the smooth running and standard of the School for Children with Special Needs, Ilesa.

Dr Oni who stated this while speaking with newsmen on Friday in response to claims by some individuals to polticize the issue which prompted his visit to the school stressed that while some of the facilities in the school  are functioning well, it needs urgent renovation and regular monetary mobilization to make for its standard.

Noting that the school is inhabited by 131 students with 45 students living in the school hostel with 21 staff including teaching and non-teaching staff, he maintained that although the accommodation is neat, with personal funding of the renovation of the toilets with N650,000.

Dr Oni while giving an account of what he saw when he visited the school also bemoaned the situation of blind and lame students walking to the nearby bush to defecate which is harmful and makes them susceptible to harmful objects and animals.

The school according to Dr Oni was created to serve the six Ijesha LGs which accounts for the reasons students there are not from Ilesha town only. Some of the students are from as far as Ekiti, Kwara and Ondo state.

He said: “Psychologically, some many parents see the school as a place where they can hide their social stigma (disable kids) and their burden which is pathetic and naive therefore dumped them there.

“I gave this background to establish how our senator, reps, assembly or chairmen be it PDP/APC are affected. Factually, the monies given to senator, reps and assembly men are for special projects in their respective constituencies NOT to finance state statutory responsibilities because states collect allocations.

“Nevertheless, annexing special projects like this to their sphere of responsibility will be service to humanity and can be applauded.

“The school has 131 students: 78 males and 53 females out of which 45 students: 21 males and 24 females live in the school’s hostel. The hostel is relatively neat but lack basic amenities.

“They have 10 teachers, 5 non teaching staff and 2 N-Power staff and 2 hostel staff -1 male and 1 female. The environment is too weedy for comfort perhaps due to rainy season and could harbour dangerous reptiles.

“In the midst of some old building we still have several modern, well painted and clean classrooms with generator set working as the time of survey. All these were provided by concerned citizens and state, the proportion I cannot state”, he said.

Dr Oni who said apart from the renovation of the toilet he personally did, there are some items he identified that are urgently needed in the school.

Some of the items according to the philanthropist are ; Raw Food, Office Printer, Big Cooking Pots, Cooler to store foods, Washing Machine for Hostel Students, First Aid Drugs, Sport Materials (Ball) Clippers , Soaps & Sponge, Toothpaste ,Writing Materials, Freezer & Stabilizers, Extension Boxes, Books and Reading Aids, Generator Set (although there is one already), Night Gown and Pyjamas Cooking Condiments , Plastic Buckets & Bowls , Spare Clothes , Wheel Chairs , Television for Hostel ,/Plastic Chairs & Tables ,Drugs ,Visual Books and Brails ,Plates & Cups ,Clippers ,Bathroom Slippers ,Electric Cooker ,blankets and Bed sheets ,Paints ,Herbicides to “kill” grasses among others.

The concerned Nigerian called on political leaders and those of thought in Ijesaland to come to the rescue of the children with special needs to make life conducive for them.

He also advised parents not to abandon their children in the school just as he advocated more funding to ameliorate the sufferings of the children.