In rural communities across Ondo West, schools are crumbling, with no roofs and broken furniture creating hostile environments not conducive to teaching and learning.
In communities like Igushin, Baagbe, and Lipaye, dilapidated infrastructure is not just an inconvenience—it’s a barrier to education, threatening the future of children in Ondo State.
The roofing sheets of many masses are blown off, with rain causing havoc to the teachers and students during class periods.
Some students who spoke with the Milestonenews reporter said that many students stay back from coming to school because of the poor infrastructure in the school.
At Bagbe Ilu Nla High School and Igushin Community Grammar School, students like Adio Balikis, Awoyemi Emmanuel, and Odeia Friday lamented the unbearable conditions of their schools.
They said that during the dry season, classrooms with missing roofs trap heat, making concentration nearly impossible.
Similarly, they noted that during the rainy season, it’s a bigger challenge because the classrooms are always flooded and students are beaten by rain even in the classroom due to the lack of doors, and windows in the classes.
“Many classrooms lack doors and windows, leaving children exposed to the elements even during lessons. Most students stay away because of this,” the students told Milestone News reporter.
Also, the students think that the government should assist in fixing the infrastructural facilities in the school to make learning easier considering the long distance most of them cover to access the school.
Teachers, too, feel the strain. Mr. Adejana of Igushin Community Grammar School estimates that 80 percent of students are frequently absent, discouraged by the lack of basic facilities like intact roofs and usable furniture.
Milestone News assessment tour of the schools reveals that the schools are a shadow of themselves due to poor access roads, poor infrastructure, and a lack of laboratories and libraries.
Women Express concern over poor condition of school facilities
According to Data from UNICEF, every five of the world’s out-of-school children are in Nigeria, as Ondo State alone accounts for 25,909 out-of-school children.
This data emphasizes the concerns of some mothers who spoke about the poor state of the schools.
Mrs. Adijatu Usman, and Mrs. Akinmutimi Moturayo noted that most of the time the children feel discouraged going to school because of the conditions of the facilities.
They said that when the learning environment was neither attractive nor conducive, students were discouraged from attending school and pursuing a quality education, which contributes to the growing number of out-of-school children in the state.
The women said the rural communities have been abandoned by the government saying that they are women farmers who depend on farming to provide for their family.
Also speaking, Baale of Igushin in Ondo West Local Government, the Alara of Igunshin land, Oba Lawrence Adelaisoye also shared his thoughts about how the rural communities have been suffering from neglect in the aspect of infrastructure development, especially schools and roads.
Despite Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa’s promises of substantial investment in education and skills development, access to quality education and vocational training remains inadequate.