Niger School Pupils Risk Collapse of Dilapidated Building
Civic platform Monitng reports classrooms with gaping roof holes, broken ceilings, and decaying wooden beams.
Pupils of the LEA Primary School in Gulu Mago Ward, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, are learning in conditions described as life-threatening, with their school building at a risk of imminent collapse.
According to a civic technology platform, Monitng, the classrooms have gaping holes in the roof, broken ceilings, and wooden beams on the verge of falling apart.
Parts of the structure are dangerously unstable, and debris from the damaged roof also litters the learning space.
During the rainy season, the situation becomes worse as the classrooms are rendered uninhabitable, forcing pupils to remain at home for days.
This, residents say, is widening the educational gap between rural children and their counterparts in better-equipped schools.
“Dear Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, this is the terrible state of LEA Primary School, Gulu Mago Ward, Agwara LGA, Niger State.
“Pupils here are forced to take classes in a collapsed, dilapidated building with an open roof and broken ceiling. Wooden beams are falling apart, and parts of the structure are dangerously unstable.
“This is not just an eyesore, it is a serious risk to the lives of the children and their teachers.
“In this school, learning takes place under direct sunlight, with the blackboard and desks exposed to the elements. The children sit on worn-out benches surrounded by debris from the damaged roof.
“During the rainy season, these classrooms become uninhabitable, forcing the pupils to stay at home. This disrupts their education and further widens the gap between children in rural areas and their peers in better-equipped schools.”
The statement stressed that “no child should have to risk injury just to learn” and called for urgent intervention from the Niger State Government, the Ministry of Education, and other stakeholders.
It urged authorities to declare a state of emergency in the education sector, particularly for rural areas, and to prioritise the renovation of the school, provision of learning materials, and support for teachers.
The warning came with an appeal that failure to act before the next rainy season could result in pupils being forced out of school again or, worse, a fatal incident if the structure finally gives way.
