Many pupils sit on bare floor
Walk 280-metre distance to answer call of nature
Flood disaster affected the school —SUBEB scribe
THE sun shone with a certain kind of venom that morning. Not minding the heat, pupils of State School, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, ran playfully around the premises, screaming and laughing away.
The second-term examinations were about starting; and after the revision process, it was time for the long-awaited break. And they made good use of it. As the schoolchildren played on, they were perhaps temporarily removed from their present reality – learning under unpleasant conditions and having to trek a long distance before using a lavatory.
The scenery was a mixed grill. Shirts flew in rhythmic succession with the wind as some boys were seen playing with their makeshift ‘balls’ in a small group, while others, along with girls, sampled other games. Like in the case of the president, some had no shoes on; others wore rubber slippers or ‘shoes now turned slippers’. There was tattered-looking clothing as there were those who wore neat ones with shoes and/or stockings neatly folded. Despite the mix, they were united by play.
The history
As they amused themselves, they were oblivious of the great history behind their school, having produced men and women of repute, among whom are President Goodluck Jonathan and a former member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, now monarch of Imiringi, HRH Augustus Elliot Osomu. Along with other illustrious sons and daughters of Otuoke, these bigwigs once shared their playground; even though at that time the school had a different name, was in a different location and was from Primary One to Three. After completing Primary Three in the school, the President then moved to St. Michael’s Primary School, Oloibiri, to continue his Primary education.
“The school was founded in 1937 by missionaries and was known as St. Stephen’s Primary School then,” said an alumnus and teacher of the school, Mr Obele Isaiah, 34. “At that time it was inside the community, beside the Anglican Church where the Town Hall now stands. Although there are conflicting dates about when it was moved to its present place (I think it was around the late 80s), but while I was a student, the name was changed to All State School under Governor Rufus Ada-George and later to State School. And now it has been divided into State School One and State School Two to manage the number of pupils we have.”
Obele said the quality of education offered to pupils and dedication of teachers all through the years have been the bedrock behind the quality of persons the school has produced, adding that they were made to compete with secondary school pupils. Hearing Obele talk passionately about the school and seeing the pupils’ hearty and carefree disposition, one is forced to appreciate the wealth of humble beginnings.
The values
The L-shaped and M-shaped buildings (split in the middle by an independent building housing the library) located at the far end of the large compound houses the two schools. The school is next-door neighbour to President Jonathan’s Country Villa, containing three magnificent edifices, with Otuaba road separating both structures. And on the Main Road , it is directly opposite the Anglican Church on the Yenagoa/Otuoke Road . And not far away from it is the Federal University Otuoke, (FUO).
This reporter met with only the Headmaster of State School One, Mr Inema Sylvester Damini, because at the time of her visit, his contemporary was not on seat. Damini said the core values of dedication and academic excellence establishing the school can be linked to the quality of its products. “I was told that apart from President Jonathan, this school has produced other highly-placed men and women from within and outside the town, like my teacher, Mr Obele, who has completed his HND and hopes to further his education but has come back to educate the young. It was possible because of the unity that had existed between community and the school authorities. At its establishment, it was said that the community tasked themselves to build the school. Also, pupils were dedicated to their studies; and parents monitored their educational development. And although teachers were not as many as they are today, they were very dedicated and serious,” he said.
Damini said he and his team are determined to ensure that the school’s standard does not dwindle. The school has a library that gives pupils access to books, which, he said, is meant to improve on their reading culture. There is an ultra-modern computer pool with about 60 computers donated in 2010 by ETF but has remained moribund due to logistics problem, it was learnt.
The decay
Given its choice location and historical background, it is, however, unfortunate that the school is in a state of disrepair. The bright coloured-yellow-and-green paint coating on the wall of what appears as new buildings, with most windows facing the Main Road intact, are deceptive of the decay that lies within.
The Nation gathered that the pupils, particularly those in State School One, are currently learning under very harsh conditions and unpleasant environment. Aside Primary Six that has all its doors and windows intact, other classes lack doors with some windows that have fallen off at the back, thus, giving free entry to sunlight and rain. The pupils often suffer the harsh rays penetrating into their room and are drenched, especially when it rains heavily; leading to concurrent feverish conditions.
No chairs
In some classes, blackboards are held up by wooden or plastic chairs or tables; the floor and ceiling boards have cracks in them; and there are not enough benches and chairs to go round. For instance, in a class of 60 pupils, the benches and chairs might not be more than 10. As a result, the pupils are forced to receive lectures sitting on dusty bare floors. Pupils were seen struggling for the little available seats. Most of their clothes were worn-out, perhaps due to the wear and tear of the constant washing that comes with sitting on a bare floor.
“The classrooms are too small for the number of children we have. A single class now has more than 50 pupils; and more are coming every day. In some cases, two classes are merged into one to contain the pupils. The ceiling board and floors are bad. And we do not have enough chairs and tables. You’d find five, six to seven pupils forcing themselves to sit on only one seat. Only recently Christ Embassy donated 50 plastic chairs and tables for only Primary Six and after closing, we’d pack for security reasons.
“With the school not properly fenced, security has been a major setback on the development of the school, especially hampering the use of the computer pool. People use here as a walkway because there are no gates and the fence has fallen off. And this is why thieves can have easy access in spite of our security guards. Nevertheless, by the grace of God, next term, we would start teaching computer because we now have better security guards with sufficient padlocks. And the computers that were stolen have been replaced by the guards,” Damini recounted their plight.
The nursery classes have a unique arrangement, it was discovered. The benches and chairs in the large classroom shared by Nursery One, Two and Three had not more than six chairs in all. A nursery class which should not be more than 20 by education standard had about 55 pupils in Nursery One and 60 in Nursery Two and Three, which, Damini said, are combined for lack of space. Most of them sat playing on the ground; others loitered about within the room, while their teachers sat separately, each on a bench and chair, as the pupils stepped forward in turns to answer their questions.
On one of the visits to the nursery, a drama ensued. A little girl stood crying profusely as she stared out of the window with her eyes following the reporter into the class. Confused and not understanding what was wrong, the reporter waved her “sorry” from a distance. Not satisfied, the girl cried some more. The class teachers, obviously having their hands full of conducting exams for a large class, were oblivious of her plight. Moved by the sadness in her eyes, the reporter scanned the room for something to pacify the little one. Unfortunately, there were no teaching/learning aids, no baskets or shelves full of toys, no plaything, no Barney or Dora with which to pacify her.
Feeling frustrated, she then moved closer, reached out, stroked her head and said: “Sorry little one, sorry”. Responding almost immediately, the girl smiled, turned and played with her mates as if nothing had happened. Surprised, this reporter smiled, stared at the hollow in the middle of the ceiling and missing windows; shook her head and walked back to the Headmaster’s office.
Toilet palaver
The headmaster lamented further that the school lacks pipe-borne water and the lavatory is another major challenge the school is faced with. At present, there are no restrooms for both staff and pupils. The two buildings meant for toilets have been long abandoned because they were not properly finished. Pupils are left with no option than to use the wooden community toilets faraway on the creeks that would take about 10 minute-walk or more, which may also take longer for a child, to reach. The teachers complained about its unhygienic nature and the constant danger their wards are faced with. “It is not hygienic or safe for us but what can we do? Imagine these kids leaving the school and trekking to that place the community toilet is by the bridge when they are pressed! With all these tippers and ‘crazy’ drivers coming and going on the express, we are always afraid for the children. Even we, the teachers, have no choice but to go there when we are pressed,” Obele said.
On a visit to the place, it was discovered that one would have to walk quite some distance that Google Map estimated to be about 280 metres before one can get relief. If a standard football pitch is about 100metres long, it means one would have to walk the distance of about two football pitches before he/she can get relief. One would need to walk past the president’s villa down the bridge, into the construction site of the villa to reach the two separate wooden buildings serving as toilets, which are separated into male and female.
The male toilet was recently refurbished by the construction firm working on site, it was learnt.
Covered with thick grasses, which may not be free from snakes and dangerous reptiles, and a fallen cement pole that may be difficult for a child to climb, is the female toilet that is another walking distance away from the male’s. On entering, one cannot but wonder how the children have been coping with this unhygienic arrangement.
After jumping over the pole, one would then have to take her pick from any of the eight wooden doors with square openings staring directly into the water where one is expected to stoop to relieve oneself. The place smelt of stench, buzzed with flies, the rays of the sun penetrated the wall from all corners and the size of the hole can swallow up a child. It is a miracle that it has not swallowed up any before now.
The lamentation
While lamenting the sorry state of the school, Damini called on the government to look into their plight. “How long can we continue like this? The government should come to our aid. This school is supposed to be upstairs with the upper side holding the senior primary and the downside the junior primary. I have written letters to the Ministry of Education to supply chairs, I have not got any reply. I’ve been to Okolobiri; and written letters there, I have not gotten reply.”
The response
However, in an interview with The Nation, the Bayelsa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Executive Secretary, Mr Walton Liverpool, commenting on the state of the school and what the government is doing about it, said: “Otuoke has the best schools in the state as the school in the President’s town. I am sure you visited the old school we have abandoned. ”
“The school I visited is the State School in Otuoke close to the President’s house, which he said to be one he attended. Are you aware the school lacks chairs and toilet and many of the children sit on the floor to receive their lessons?” our reporter posed to him.
He then replied: “The problem of chairs is a general one because of the flood disaster that happened. The school is not the only one with the problem. But we are working towards resolving the problem; as it is, it would cost so much to provide chairs for all the schools in the state. The toilet was also affected by the flood. It is not the only school affected by the flood. As I have said, we are working on them.”
When our correspondent met the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Education, Salo Adikumo, on Wednesday evening for his response, he said he was going for exco meeting and asked the correspondent to call him later.
But, repeated calls to his line the following day went unheaded. Neither did he respond to the text message sent to his line.
