BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The report of Osun Education Summit organised by Governor Ademola Adeleke has exposed alarming infrastructural decay in public primary and secondary schools in Osun State.
It indicated that half of the schools, both primary and secondary, were languishing in deep rots and suffering from a conducive learning environment which is part of the hindrances to having functional education in the state.
Aside from infrastructure, public schools in the state are lacking Information Communication Technology centres, sporting facilities and recreational centres.
In a recent investigation, The Point had reported that public education and infrastructure were in dire straits and needed urgent intervention if pupils and students would perform well in their academic pursuits.
The report by the committee indicated that a total of 6,907 classrooms in primary and secondary schools were in extremely bad condition.
Recall that the Osun Education Committee chaired by Prof. Oyesoji Aremu, had on September 20, submitted the report to Adeleke who promised to study and implement the recommendations.
Analyzing the infrastructural decadence, the committee disclosed that only 4,838 (49.6%) of the existing 9,795 primary schools classrooms were in “fairly good condition.”
This indicated that 4957 (49.4%) classrooms are dilapidated.
Currently, a total of 1,340 primary schools are in the state as of the end of 2022/2023 academic session.
Of the 1,340 primary schools, 647 are in urban areas and 693 are in rural areas with a total number of pupils standing at 213,904.
According to the report, in all the schools, only 542 have suitable offices for the head teachers, implying that about 798 schools have no suitable office and cabinet for storing documents.
“On health related facilities, 807 schools have toilet facilities, 666 have portable water sources, 742 have sanitation/ refuse bins, 1,090 have feeding kiosks/centers and 724 have first aid kits.
“It is alarming to discover that in the 21 century where ICT is essential and crucial for teaching and learning, only 266 (19.9%) out of 1,340 primary schools have ICT centers.
“In terms of libraries, only 303 schools have library facilities while 249 have laboratories/workshops.
“Just only 461 have electricity and or other power sources, 390 have perimeter fences and 652 have good access roads.
“Also, just 946 (70.6%) out of the 1,340 primary schools have sports fields for sports and recreational activities, which are expected to aid psychomotor and affective domains of learning,” the report showed.
It was also revealed that 5,286 out of about 6,151 teachers available as at the end of 2022/2023 academic session have teachers’ seats and tables, while just 58,738 desks/chairs are available for 213,903 pupils.
The committee, however, noted in the report that some of the available chairs and desks are not suitable for use, while dilapidated blocks of classrooms are common to most schools in the rural areas which now serve as abodes for miscreants.
Revealing the state of infrastructure in secondary schools, the committee explained in the report that about 6,500 classrooms are needed in the 371 secondary schools in the state.
A total of 387 secondary schools were in the state as of the end of 2022/2023 academic session, with 371 having both a Junior and Senior Secondary School system, according to the report.
Of the 371 schools, 205 are in the urban areas while 166 are in the rural areas.
The schools have a total of 4,370 classrooms in which only 2,463 “are fairly good while 1,950 are extremely bad.”
The committee recommended adequate funding of the education sector and massive renovation of schools and demolition of decayed buildings.
Also, the report noted that no fewer than 50 per cent of the government secondary schools in the state do not have night security guards, thereby, making them vulnerable to attacks by hoodlums.