TEACHERS, STUDENTS CRY OUT OVER DILAPIDATED FACILITIES AT BAYELSA SCHOOL

Serious concerns have been raised over the poor state of infrastructure at the junior secondary section of Mein Grammar School, Ogobiri, in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, as teachers and students appeal to government authorities for urgent intervention.

A teacher at the school, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the learning environment as unsafe and unsuitable, explaining that the school building was originally constructed as a market before being converted into classrooms, a situation she said accounts for the poor structural condition of the facility.

The teacher also cited the absence of perimeter fencing and security personnel. According to her, the school is vulnerable to vandalism and intrusion, following the death of the only security operative previously assigned to the school.

“The zinc is leaking, the classrooms are not conducive, and when it rains, teaching becomes impossible,” the teacher said, adding that strangers freely move in and out of the school premises, often disrupting academic activities.

Students also shared disturbing accounts of their daily experiences. A JSS 3 student, Ambare Funbeke Samaria, said rainfall floods the classrooms and washes away writings on the board, making learning difficult. She also lamented the absence of desks, chairs, fans, and proper roofing.

“When the sun comes out, the heat is too much. We are sweating everywhere, and we don’t even have fans,” she said.

More troubling, students disclosed that they are forced to defecate by a nearby river due to the lack of toilet facilities within the school.

A JSS 1 student, Kano Justice Michael, said some students are exposed to danger as not everyone knows how to swim. Another student, Jonathan Fear-God, a JSS 2 student, noted that classrooms lack writing boards, forcing teachers to write on bare walls.

They are calling on the Bayelsa State Government, particularly the Ministry of Education, interventionist agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and well-meaning individuals to construct new classrooms, provide furniture and toilets, and secure the school environment to enable effective learning.

Reported by Bright Okpo