Save Lagos Group laments infrastructure decay in primary schools

• Petitions Ambode, seeks quick action on schools rehabilitation, halt to propaganda

A civil rights organisation, the Save Lagos Group, has lamented the state of schools’ infrastructure in Lagos State, saying the Akinwunmi Ambode led government has perpetuated gross underfunding of education sector.

The Convener of the group, Comrade Adeniyi A. Sulaiman, protested that the state government has refused to react positively to series of petitions the group has sent to it on the need to rehabilitate public schools in the state.

In a statement on Monday, Sulaiman lamented that after series of meetings with officials of the state government on the dilapidated state of some schools in the state, the government has not deemed it fit to do anything tangible to remedy the situation.

The Convener said that pupils in the various government owned primary schools across the state are learning under a very severe condition thus making process of schooling very difficult for them.

The group listed the United African Methodist Church (UAMC) Eleja Primary School and Salvation Primary School both along Igbogbo-Bayeku Road, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Alaworo St. Michael Primary School (I&2) in Ojo town as some few examples where such is taking place.

Sulaiman stated that the case of the United African Methodist Church (UAMC) Eleja Primary School is even very pathetic as the school lacks basic infrastructure such as toilet, perimeter fencing, water, furnishing for both pupils and teachers.

 “I wept when I visited United African Methodist Church (UAMC) Eleja Primary School. I saw pupils sitting on bare floor as they lacked basic furnishing. There were no toilet facilities as the teachers and pupils usually answer nature’s call in the adjourning bushes. There is no form of electricity also just as the staff also lacks stationary to work with,” he said.

Sulaiman narrated that the group on 2^nd of April, 2015, wrote to both the governor and the commissioner for education, with response coming through the Ministry of Environment in a letter dated 29^th of April 2015.

“We got a phone call from an official in the Ministry of Education on Monday 13^th of April, 2015 from one Mr. Kazeem who was then using Room 103 in the Ministry of Education at the Alausa Secretariat. Our team met with Mr. Olaniyonu alongside Kazeem. On Tuesday 14^th, April 2015, we were promised that a report would be forwarded to the commissioner for education. They even promised to effect the necessary changes before the end of that term.

 “Up till now, nothing has been done as promised by the state government. It is sad that the current government doesn’t pay the right attention to the plights of the common man simply because their children don’t attend public schools,” the Convener narrated.

He stated that the Save Lagos Group has exhausted their patience owing to the fact that the state government has been foot dragging on the issue to the detriment of the helpless pupils of the school.

“We have resolved to give them till the end of the current third term for the state government fix the schools, failure in which we will not hesitate to carry all the pupils to Alausa for a week with a view to draw the right attention of government to their plights,” he said.