Many pupils of Saviour’s Primary School, Igbeleyi-Alakuko, a suburb of Lagos, were on Thursday seen seated on the floor as their teachers taught them during school hours.

A fight had broken out between two of the pupils on Tuesday, which left one of them with an injured lip that had to be sutured at a nearby hospital.

The fight allegedly resulted from the insufficient furniture in the school, which the affected pupils struggled to use.

Many pupils in Primary four, Primary five and Primary six in the school were seen sitting on the floor due to insufficient furniture in their classrooms.

The problem was more pronounced in the classrooms of Primary six pupils, where in the three arms with over 100 pupils, only 17 chairs and desks were seen.

Some teachers at the school, who did not want their names published for fear of victimisation by the authorities, said that the situation had been the same for some time, despite repeated appeals made to the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for help.

Kemi Lawal, the Chairman, School Based Management Committee (SBMC) of the school, said that the situation was very bad as many pupils in the school sat on the floor to receive lessons.

She said that SBMC had also appealed to parents to contribute money, so that the problem could be addressed, but that this had yielded no positive result.

“We levied all parents last term – during a parents’ forum – that they pay N200 each to assist us construct chairs and desks; but they are not responding,” she said. “We are pleading with SUBEB and the state government to provide furniture in the school.”

When contacted, Gbolahan Daodu, the Executive Chairman, SUBEB, said that government was aware of the problem, and that effort was being intensified to address it. “We are taking care of various furniture requests in our schools,” she said.

Maxymilliano: Lagos school where students study under trees

In case the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola or his aides, are reading this piece, their attention is urgently needed at Community Secondary School, Bayeku in Ikorodu area of the State. Reason? The school is an academic embarrassment.

The Governor has repeatedly promised qualitative education to Lagosians with ‘’Adopt a School Project’’ initiative where private organisations and individuals are encouraged to give public schools a facelift. Since the inception of the initiative, many schools have benefitted immensely.

Examples are Community Senior Secondary School, Tafawa Balewa Crescent; Sari Secondary School, Sari Iganmu; Dolphin Senior High School, Lagos Island and Senior Secondary School, Keffi Ikoyi which can now compete favourably with their private counterparts in terms of basic amenities like functional laboratories and information technology, modern classrooms and toilet facilities, among others.

During Vanguard Metro’s visit to Dolphin Senior High School Lagos Island and Sari Secondary School, Sari-Iganmu, students and teachers were seen carrying out the day’s activities without stress as academic activities took place under a conducive environment; also, there was regular water and power supply in these schools.

But the reverse is the case at Community Secondary school, Bayeku in Ikorodu. The school is bogged down by challenges ranging from dilapidated school buildings, inadequate classrooms, non-functional library, laboratories, lavatories to late attendance of pupils to school.

Also, some structures in the school are so badly damaged that the urgent intervention of government is required to avoid further damages to the school.

The school which was founded on September 5, 1983 is dilapidated and no longer conducive for learning. With the recent 2013 weather forecast, the threat of rains has become a serious concern to students, parents and teachers, especially as learning and other activities usually come to a halt each time it rains.

Makeshift structures

Teachers and students still cannot forget the downpour of Sunday July 10, 2011 which caused the collapse of the perimeter fencing of the school, exposing them to the menace of street urchins. The school has only two buildings with leaking  roofs. The buildings are complemented by some makeshift structures with few chairs and tables which cannot serve the number of students in the school. Due to shortage of classrooms, all JSS 1 and 3 students are forced to receive lectures under a tree, except during examinations when they have to swap with JSS 2 students who are entitled to some of the classrooms.

The rains have made learning very difficult for the  students. Some students who spoke to VM said the last time it rained, both the students sitting under the trees and classrooms were drenched, leading to the suspension of academic activities for the day.

‘’In fact, some of us were moved from one ‘classroom’ to another which disrupted learning. The teachers were helpless as the situation forced them to stop teaching.

Temporary respite came when some concerned citizens donated some building materials for construction of more classrooms but the effort was jeopardised due to inadequate fund.

As at the time of filing this report, the perimeter fencing of the school is yet to be reconstructed. Some neighbours who spoke with VM complained that some students now indulge in nefarious activities in and around the school. ‘’Their hideouts are uncompleted buildings and they use dangerous weapons freely,’’ said Mr and Mrs Segun Ayilara.

When VM spoke with some of the students, they said they were already used to the situation as the school is the only high school in the community. Some of them also complained of sharp practices on the part of teachers which they said has added to the existing problems.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/05/lagos-school-where-students-study-under-trees/

automaticcarzz: Schools are like that in every part of Nigeria. What stops parents from buying furniture for their kids to use in their classrooms. Government cannot do everything alone. In the U.S, rich individuals contribute money to fund schools. Rich individuals don't care in Nigeria.

Omexonomy: and for ur information this not U.S.A this is lagos the richest state in nigeria where where people pay the highest amount of school fees in any govt university (N300,000)

baby_123:

Public school in Lagos is free. This is why Lagos is witnessing an even bigger population explosion. Fashola needs to reverse that decision, and make it free for the indigent's.

Akanbi_edu:

Lagos should implement a policy that allows school fees difference between Lagos indigenes, Lagos residents and foreign students.

Lagos should not be suffering for non-performannce elsewhere.

baby_123:

Public school in Lagos is free.

Lawmaker’s scholarship lifts 75 pupils

The lawmaker representing Lagos East in the Senate, Gbenga Ashafa, has charged parents to support their children’s education to the tertiary level. Ashafa made the charge in Epe last weekend during the presentation of scholarships to 75 indigent pupils in Ikosi-Ejirin Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

The pupils, drawn from various public schools, were selected by the Gbenga Ashafa Educational Enhancement Programme.
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The beneficiaries, who were indigenes and non-indigenes of Lagos State, were selected across communities in the LCDA. One of them, Abraham Mercy, a Primary 5 pupil of Anglican Primary School, Ajebo, said she almost stopped schooling when her parents could not afford to pay. She appreciated the senator’s gesture, saying: “Thank you sir, Senator Ashafa, for this scholarship; I will go back to complete primary school.”


For more click here

This is why Lagos is witnessing an even bigger population explosion. Fashola needs to reverse that decision, and make it free for the indigent's.

Sunny_bobo: I can't believe that any sane human being will be here defending the indefensible. Is this what APC intends to replicate throughout the federation? God forbid!!

Akanbi_edu:

Lagos should implement a policy that allows school fees difference between Lagos indigenes, Lagos residents and foreign students.

Lagos should not be suffering for non-performannce elsewhere.

payless:

Tell me your state so I can upload pictures as worse as that of Lagos State. Generally, public schools are in bad shape in every part of Nigeria.

automaticcarzz: Schools are like that in every part of Nigeria. What stops parents from buying furniture for their kids to use in their classrooms. Government cannot do everything alone. In the U.S, rich individuals contribute money to fund schools. Rich individuals don't care in Nigeria.

Omexonomy: and for ur information this not U.S.A this is lagos the richest state in nigeria where where people pay the highest amount of school fees in any govt university (N300,000)

empexy:

http://telegraphng.com/2013/06/lagos-school-where-students-sit-on-the-floor/