.…Despite Education Sector Gulping N159b In 5yrs
Despite the series of denials by the Imo State government and its agencies which many have described as diversionary, more revelations have emerged about the dilapidated state of schools in Imo State.
The Imo State Universal Basic Education Board (IMSUBEB) had vehemently denied the report, calling it “false.” However, indignant residents, parents, and community leaders have reaffirmed their claims by sharing disturbing details of crumbling infrastructure, severe teacher shortages, and unsafe learning environments that persist despite billions allocated to the education sector.
At Ojike Memorial Secondary School, Orlu, students are compelled to learn while sitting on cracked, bare floors in classrooms without doors and windows. “The roofs leak, and when it rains heavily, lessons may stop. How can children concentrate like this?” lamented a parent who shared images of dilapidated structures.
Similarly, Okporo Town School, Okporo Orlu, has six classroom blocks, but only four are partially functional. Even these four lack intact windows, doors, or safe flooring. One of the blocks with eight classrooms has Primary 2–4 pupils crammed into three rooms, each holding 25–30 children. The remaining five classrooms are hardly used because of their dilapidated state. The school also lacks water and safe toilet facilities, raising hygiene concerns. “This is a primary school where water and sanitation should be basic essentials,” a community leader fumed.
Aborshi Primary School, Izombe; Central School Izombe; St. Philip Primary School, Amakpurudere Izombe; Community Primary School Izombe; LEA Primary School Izombe and Izombe Secondary Commercial School are all in deplorable state requiring urgent intervention to facelift the facilities.
A community leader in the area, Chief Egbufor Chima, who confided in our reporter said, “Aside from the poor state of facilities, there is a serious shortage of teachers in all the public schools.
For instance, in Aborshi Primary School, six teachers excluding the Head Teacher are volunteer community teachers engaged this January by two illustrious individuals from Umuokwu Izombe.”
It was also a similar scenario in Central School Okwudor, Njaba LGA, the situation is dire. Only three teachers remain after one was transferred, forcing Umuduruogba Village to hire external teachers to keep the school running. The community also completed an abandoned one-story building initiated by former Governor Rochas Okorocha, as government maintenance remains scanty. “We had to act or watch our school die,” a community source, Elder Ojinwa said.
At Ohoba Comprehensive Secondary School, Ohaji Egbema, only the three classrooms renovated by SEPLAT Petroleum seem most decent; the rest of the school buildings are in bad shape. Meanwhile, Mmahu Secondary School, Egbema, grapples with rapidly deteriorating buildings and a serious shortage of teachers.
“At Ohoba Comprehensive Secondary School, Ohaji Egbema, many students are leaving for private schools. We have buildings, but they’re rapidly dilapidating without sustainable maintenance measures in place,” a staff member disclosed.”
“There is escalating public outrage as residents have expressed dismay at the Imo State Universal Basic Education Board IMSUBEB’s denial. They accused the agency of gaslighting the public. “The government should visit these schools instead of lying,” fumed a teacher from Okporo. Others told the officials to come and see the reality” themselves.
While communities scramble to patch roofs and hire teachers, critics argue that such efforts are unsustainable. “Why should villagers bear the burden of a sector that received N159 billion in five years?” questioned a retired Principal. “Where did that money go and what was it used for?”
As the state government remains questionably silent on fresh evidence, the plight of public schools in Imo state may be a reflection of a deepening crisis that may threaten to deprive a generation of students of conducive school environments that are essential for quality teaching and learning.
