Public schools across Abia State are grappling with widespread vandalism, sparking alarm among education stakeholders who say the menace is worsening learning conditions and putting children at risk.
Headteachers and administrators have reported theft of windows, roofing sheets, and other essential facilities, leaving classrooms uninhabitable and unsafe for effective teaching and learning.
Stakeholders Cry Out
The concerns came to light during a monitoring and sensitization visit by the Abia State Chapter of the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), led by its president, Comrade Eugene Okonta. The delegation toured World Bank Model Primary School and Isieke Central School in Umuahia North Local Government Area, where they also distributed educational materials to pupils.
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Teachers lamented frequent break-ins, with vandals stealing steel windows and damaging roofs. They also noted that youths who play football within school compounds often weaken already fragile structures, further deteriorating the learning environment.
Comrade Queen Okoroafor, Headmistress of World Bank Model Primary School, described the situation as dire, stressing that persistent vandalism has made schools increasingly unattractive for both teachers and pupils.
Calls for Urgent Intervention
Confirming the problem, Mrs. Florence Umezuruike, Education Secretary of the Umuahia North Local Government Education Authority, said the list of dilapidated schools had already been submitted to the state government for urgent attention. She added that renovation efforts were underway, with more schools expected to benefit soon.
She condemned the most recent break-in at World Bank Model Primary School, where vandals gained access through a collapsed fence and carted away windows and other materials.
OYC Steps In
Speaking during the visit, OYC president Comrade Okonta urged pupils to embrace discipline, shun cultism, drugs, and examination malpractice, and live responsibly. He explained that the sensitization tour was aimed not only at motivating pupils but also at drawing the government’s attention to the pressing infrastructural challenges facing schools.
School representatives welcomed the intervention, saying the distribution of learning materials would help boost pupils’ morale. They commended the initiative as complementary to Governor Alex Otti’s ongoing education programmes and the First Lady’s recent effort to equip learners with study materials.
