November 2, 2024

Century News Update

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Exposed: A’Ibom public Schools exist without teachers, conducive learning environment

Exposed: A’Ibom public Schools exist without teachers, conducive learning environment

Subject: GOVERNMENT SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

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ā€¦ Students stranded, community leaders cry out to Gov Emmanuel

By Amos ODHE.

The dilapidated state of infrastructure at some public schools in Nkwot Community in Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State led to an unscheduled visit to the schools recently by some community leaders, under the umbrella of Nkwot Development Initiative.

One of the schools visited, St. Mary’s Secondary School, Nkwot Ikot Nseyen, used to be one of the dream learning places most indigenes of the area had wished to attend which has so far produced prominent Nigerians in different fields across the world. But today, the school exists without teachers and a conducive learning environment.

Many were, however, shocked as they inspected the premises of the school where some buildings including classrooms were in a dilapidated state and could easily be described as an eyesore.

Addressing the teachers of the school during the visit which was led by the Chief Medical Director of St. Athanasius Hospital, Dr. Emmanuel Akpanobong, the village head of Nkwot Ikot Nseyen, Eteidung Sylvester Akpan, called on the community to switch into self-help measures in renovating some of the buildings in the school most importantly the staff quarters so that the teachers can reside in the school compound.

On his part, one of the teachers who spoke on condition of anonymity said the school exists without adequate teachers as one teacher teaches over six subjects including Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Economics Literature in English, Agricultural Science, Geography in other to rescue students from being stranded during class hours in the absence of a particular teacher.

That of Community Secondary School, Nkwot Ikot Obokidem was not left out, the country home of the member representing Ikono State Constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Asuquo Nana Udo.

It is a sure bet that even Governor Udom Emmanuel may not be able to hold his emotions if he visits the school which hitherto was one of the best learning institutions in the area.

With the current state of the school, one would wonder what could have happened to the institution that was the pride of the area.

Suffice it to say that learning under such a deplorable state, is not a possibility as only a conducive environment makes learning possible.

It is so given that education in the 21st century is technologically driven and interactive but the reverse is the case in some public schools in Akwa Ibom State .

With the best infrastructure in the educational sector, Nigeria should have no connection with 13 million out-of-school children as of today.

A server by the United Nations Childrenā€™s Fund, UNICEF, said the population of out-of-school children in Nigeria had increased from 10.5 to 13.2 million.

Today Nigeria is faced with the crisis of out-of-school-children estimated at 10.5 – 13.2 million by the UNICEF (2019/2020) which Policy House International has also projected to get to 15 million by the end of 2021.

The government at all levels should invest more in education, the average national budget provisioning for the entire education system accounts for less than 5% of the national budget as against the 26% recommended by UNESCO.

Out of this 5%, only 1.5% is provided to basic education, at the state level the situation is not different on the average nationally. This calls for serious concern.

Sadly, the government at all levels doesnā€™t seem to accord education its needed priority. One wonders if Nigeriaā€™s policymakers are unaware that such a situation endangers national development.

There have been several calls by the Nkwot community for the government to urgently renovate the school to enhance learning conditions for the students, and their teachers.

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) identified education.

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