The situation at the Local Education Authority (LEA) Primary School in Paikon-Basa, where only three teachers cater to 207 pupils under dilapidated classroom conditions, reflects the extent of neglect of basic education in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Development Diaries reports that parents of pupils at the LEA Primary School in Abaji area have decried the dilapidated state of the school, which they say is already discouraging the pupils from learning.
A Daily Trust report covered the lamentation of parents, as only three staff members, two teachers and the school’s head, teach the 207 pupils.
It is unacceptable that a school located just a few hours from the seat of power in Abuja operates without adequate infrastructure, teaching personnel, or learning materials.
This is a situation that undermines children’s right to quality education and also widens the inequality gap between urban and rural learners, especially in communities already burdened by poverty and insecurity.
This development directly contradicts Nigeria’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goal four (SDG four), which seeks to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), over 10.2 million Nigerian children are currently out of school, the highest figure globally, and learning poverty remains alarmingly high, with 70 percent of children unable to read or understand a simple text by age 10.
This kind of situation, where public schools are left in disrepair, discourages attendance, and it also extends the cycle of illiteracy and poverty among rural families.
The failure of the LEA in Abaji and the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) to promptly address these challenges points to weak institutional accountability and poor prioritisation of basic education.
It is disturbing that repeated appeals from parents and teachers have gone unanswered for years, forcing children to abandon classrooms for farms.
This neglect undermines both the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act of 2004, which mandates free and compulsory education for every Nigerian child, and Nigeria’s own national policy commitments under the Education for All (EFA) framework.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, the Executive Chairman of FCT UBEB, Abdullahi Mohammed, and the Abaji Area Council Chairman, Abubakar Abdullahi, need to take immediate and coordinated action to restore dignity to education in Paikon-Basa and similar communities.
Renovating the classrooms, recruiting qualified teachers, and providing learning materials are urgent steps to rebuild public trust in education.
Photo source: Daily Trust
