Inside Lagos public school… students sit on tyre-chairs, desks

Inspite of N92.445 billion budgeted by Lagos state government for education in 2017, scores of students in Oke-Odo Junior college in Abule-Egba, Agbado-Oke Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), still receive lessons under unconducive learning environment, the situation which had resulted to public enrage after circulated picture showed how students made use of tyres as sitting chairs and desk in replace of furniture.

The condition of the school, as learnt, had been reported to the state government for intervention but that the ministry responsible for education was yet to make move that could save the students from the situation.

The Guild gathered that the students, in their own efforts, after waiting several months for the state government to supply furniture, brought in tyres from their homes, search for condemned furniture within the school premises and converted them to chairs and desks so as to have a place of learning.

Apparently driven by the passion to learn, it was gathered that the helpless students’ defied shortage of furniture’s in their classrooms to attend school daily.

Sources said that some teachers also make use of tyres to assist them in sitting during school hours to complete their daily duties.

A concerned parent, who spoke to The Guild on condition of the school, under anonymity, lamented on the state government careless attitide shown towards the future of students from the school.

The young man who posted pictures of students sitting on the tyre-chair and desk, in replace of absent furniture, said that since students of the school were left with no choice than to improvise, it means the government failed them.

He said: “My people, is this a classroom or a dustbin? this is Oke-Odo junior college in Abule-Egba LCDA, Kudos to the Chairman of the LCDA or shame to him.”

“I was surprise when I saw the students sitting on tyres. I could not believe my eyes. And I had to option than to take pictures of the activities.”

Meanwhile, the state government recently explained that the 2017 budget for education was meant for continued rehabilitation, upgrading of public school buildings, facilities, provision of furniture for secondary schools, construction of new schools and improvement plan for secondary schools, Provision of equipment for science laboratories.

Contrary to present situation of Oke-Odo Junior college, the government during a Town Hall meeting, claimed through a released document that 26, 356 staff and students of various schools in the state were supplied furniture in last quarter of the administration.

It added that it also renovated 112 public schools to improve teaching and learning environment in secondary schools in the state.

But activities at Oke-Odo Junior College established in 2003 obviously did not reflect the huge funds claimed by the state government to often spend annually on education.

Efforts to contact Public Affairs Officer in the state Ministry of Education to explain reasons for the continued neglect proved abortive

The emergence of the pictures, depicting deplorable state of the school, has attracted public outrage with many condemning the government continued neglect of the school.

While some called for probe into the continued neglect, other cautioned that the classrooms could have been abandoned.