By Olayinka Olawale
Lagos – Some residents in Agbado-Oke Odo and Meiran communities in Lagos State have expressed concern over the state of insecurity in some public schools in the area.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews that the state government should urgently construct fences in the affected schools for safety of pupils.
The residents, who spoke to NAN on Wednesday, said that the pupils were exposed to danger because of the location of the schools.
They listed the affected schools as African Church Primary Schools I and II, Ile-Iwe, Meiran, and Community Primary School, Agbado-Okeodo.
NAN observed that the three schools, located in the same premises, are along Ajasa Command road and Meiran road which intersect each other.
Mrs Alimat Kareem, a parent of a pupil in one of the schools, told NAN that stakeholders had written several letters to the state government on the situation.
According to her, lack of perimeter fencing, poor and inadequate facilities are posing danger to the pupils.
Kareem said the pupils were also exposed to health hazards from pollutions, kidnapping and negative influences from street urchins.
“When you visit the schools in the evening, area boys and hoodlums have taken ownership of the place, playing football and smoking Indian hemp.
“Throughout the long holidays, government did not rehabilitate the schools.’’
Another parent, Mrs Kemi Oluwalogbon, also expressed concern on the increasing moral decadence among pupils, which she attributed to the current economic recession in the country.
Oluwalogbon said the economic challenges forced parents to put their wards in such public school.
She said that the increase in school enrolment had made it difficult for the security men to manage the pupils’ population in the schools.
“The situation in the school is bad.
“Children are kept in a school without perimeter fence and security gate in Lagos in this period of kidnapping and abduction.
“Government should do something to safeguard the safety of the pupils,’’ she added.
Mr Adetokunbo Ifederu, another parent, said that apart from insecurity, the school environment was not conducive for learning.
“Good environment helps students to assimilate whatever they are being taught in class.
“There is no way an average child can learn under such condition and you expect him or her to come out in flying colours.
“Although there are some of them who are brilliant and can cope under such circumstances.’’
When contacted, Mr Seyi Adelusi, the Public Relations Officer of Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), told NAN that the state government was aware of the situation.
He assured that the board would rehabilitate the affected schools soon.
Adelusi said that many primary schools had been earmarked for rehabilitation and that the schools in question would also benefit.
“The schools will be rehabilitated soon; it is one of the cardinal programmes of this administration to rehabilitate schools and we have identified them.
“The perimeter fencing in the schools will also be reconstructed as soon as possible,’’ he said.
