Parents Withdraw Children From School Over Poor Infrastructure, Lack Of Teachers

 

• Old Students Beg Govt. For Urgent Intervention

Yusuf Oketola

LACK of infrastructure has continued to be a major concern in some public secondary schools in the State of Osun, especially in the rural and semi-urban areas.

In spite of new buildings being constructed in some public schools in the State by successive administrations, OSUN DEFENDER noted that hundreds of schools are in dire need of befitting infrastructure and conducive learning environment. 

Lack of buildings and enough teachers are the major challenges facing public education in the state, findings by the medium has revealed.

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These challenges, as noted by the medium, has induced students migration and withdrawal from some of the affected schools.

Among hundreds of schools begging for government urgent attention is Local Authority (LA) Grammar School, Ipetumodu, Ife North Local Government of the State.

It started as a modern school but was later converted to a secondary school on March 1, 1977 by the military administration of Old Oyo State. The school was originally serving seven communities; Yakoko, Ipetumodu, Moro, Edunabon, Sekona, Eleweran, Asipa.

The school, as observed by OSUN DEFENDER, was currently in bad shape as most of its buildings were dilapidated. Out of nine blocks of 31 classrooms, only three classrooms were partially in good condition. The three classrooms have less than 50 chairs and table for the use of over 250 students.

The workshop, science laboratory, corps member’s lodge and examination hall were overgrown with weeds. The principal’s office was not in good condition as well. The school does not also have toilet facilities.

Besides, it was also lacking enough teachers. As of the time of writing this report yesterday, the school did not have Physics and Chemistry teachers and other science related subjects. 

According to some of the teachers, parents have been withdrawing the children from the school due to the absence of teachers and poor infrastructure. 

Mr. Isaac Adebayo, a father of a former student of the school said he withdrew her daughter because of the absence of infrastructure and teacher. 

“I could not continue to see my daughter in a filthy environment. It is no longer safe for her. There was no science teacher and she wants to be a medical doctor. We need to withdraw her to a private school”, said Adebayo. 

Adebayo said other parents have also been withdrawing their children from the school, saying ‘I am not the only one, other parents who want a better future for their children have also been withdrawing them from the school, you can ask the teachers.”

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, President of the Old Students Association of the school, Pastor Kola Odesanmi, said he was not happy with the condition of the school.

Odesanmi disclosed that efforts were ongoing by the graduates of to renovate some of the dilapidated classrooms and build new ones.

He said: “The present condition of the school is disheartening. I was so confused when I got here to see the school I once attended years back. Most of buildings are nearly collapsed.

“Of about 31 classrooms, only three are partially good. If you look at those three classrooms, the furniture there are not up to 50, while the students are over 250. How will they manage to learn? 

“They do not have good toilet facilities in this modern day. The Old Students Association has made efforts to renovate three classrooms. We assisted in the flooring and also bought mechanical grass cutter. Renovation of three classrooms is also ongoing.

“I also heard that there are no teachers for science subjects. We appeal to the state government to intervene by rebuilding the school and deploy more teachers. This is the future of our children. They should not jeopardize it”.