Lagos primary learning centre where pupils study under rain, sun
Though located within Lagos metropolis, Ladipo primary school, Matori in Mushin local government area compares favourably with a village school with no roof to shield pupils from scorching sun and rainfull. Established in 1980 during the administration of Governor Lateef Jakande, Saturday Sun learnt that the school which shares the same premises with Oduduwa Junior and Senior Secondary Schools began to witness infrastructure decay when the state government and the host community stopped giving it the deserved attention.
As a result, the school buildings have become dilapidated, with roofs, floors and walls badly damaged forcing pupils to study with tears. The unusual sorry state of the school at a time when the state government is injecting huge funds to rehabilitate and build new structures for schools poses serious questions which demand urgent answers. Does is it mean that those in charge of school rehabilitation in the state have not seen or heard what is happening at Ladipo Primary School? Are they waiting to hear that the school building roofs have fallen on the pupils and their teachers before something could be done?
Chairman of School Based Management Committee (SBMC) of the school, Mr David Durojaiye Opadeyi told Saturday Sun that the school had been abandoned for a long time and that contributed to its present state. “The school was waxing stronger but at a stage no one pays attention to it anymore. There was a time rainstorm removed the roof and since then, there was no effort to rebuild it, subsequent rains storms worsened the situation.”
He explained that it was when the present Head teacher of the school, Mrs Oladunjoye came in that she encouraged that there should be Parents Forum and School Based Management Committee to oversee the maintenance and overall welfare of the school. “We therefore organised ourselves 14 months ago to carry out the task and since that time, we have made useful contributions to see that the school is given the necesssary attention it deserves. We have written several letters to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) calling their attention to the school. We sent delegations to SUBEB, Mushin Local Government and the Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) with letters and the photographs of the school and we were assured that the school would be renovated very soon. Sometime in October 2013, one of the Engineers with SUBEB who led the team to inspect the dilapidated Oduduwa Junior Secondary School in the same premises came here and saw the need for the school to be renovated. What they continued to tell us is that something will be done. But there is no specific date given.”
Opadeyi stressed the urgent need for the reconstruction of the school in order to give the pupils a sense of belonging as human beings and Nigerians. “We need an urgent attention of the government to the school as they have promised. Aside the reconstruction, the pupils need more desks, seats and other materials to make them do better and see themselves like their counterparts in those places where gigantic structures and facilities were built by the state government.”
He expressed gratitude to God that the buildings have not fallen on pupils in spite of their bad shapes. “In fact, we thank God that there has not been any casualty. But what happens is that whenever it rains, classrooms of the affected areas will be flooded and what the teachers do in that situation is to take the pupils to other classes, and when the rain stops and the flood dries, they go back. This is what they have been doing for so many years now.”
Parents Forum Chairman of the School, Mr Taiwo Akindayo expressed dismay on the infrastructure decay of the school. “We feel bad when we see other schools in Lagos State being renovated, while our own school is neglected especially at this present time when educational facilities are being upgraded by the government.”
He explained that since the establishement of the school, there has not been Parents Forum (PF) and School Based Management Committee (SBMC). “If it had been so, I do not think the school would have been in its present bad condition. It was when the head teacher, Mrs Oladunjoye came in she saw the need for us to have PF and SBMC for the welfare of the school. She ensured that we formed the bodies and joined hands with us. In fact, I will say that the problem of Ladipo Primary School had been lack of a welfare body and now we are in place, we are trying to bring out the problems confronting the school and possible solutions to them.”
Akindayo explained that out of the 72 primary schools in Mushin Local Government Area, Ladipo came second in one of the recent competitions organised in the area. “I wonder why the school is not given the necessary attention it deserves even when the teachers and pupils are doing well.
He commended Sibel Company located opposite the school that supplies the school free water and steady light adding that “One man also donated musical band to the school.”
The School Based Management Committee Treasurer, Mrs Zainab Opeyemi Lawal stated that the remote location of the school contributed to its abandonment but pointed out that if given good sructures, it will attract attention.
“Location of the school has contributed to its abandonment. Most people mistake the place to be Oduduwa Secondary School. But if new and modern structures are put in place at the school, I think, people will get attracted to it and the pupils will be happy to learn in a better environment.”
She therefore pleaded with the state government to help in reconstructing the school because it is one of the best in the locality. “As it is, Ladipo Primary School needs an urgent attention. It is unbelievable that a school like this could be seen in this part of Lagos, when so many others have been developed by the state government. The teachers and pupils are doing well. But the problem is poor teaching and learning environment.”
Lawal also expressed regret that apart from the dilapidated infrastructure in the school, the Matori canal behind the school poses a very big health problem and security risk. “Area boys throw human waste and smoke Indian hemp at the canal and the odour come inside the classrooms. Most of them jump the fence and probably pass the night in the school premises. If you look at the fence, you will see how they dig holes on it to have their way in and out of the school.”
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