Some concerned stakeholders in Atta Community in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State have expressed dissatisfaction with the parlous state of Comprehensive Secondary School, Atta, a public school owned by the state.
They alleged that the sorry condition of the school and other secondary schools in the state contrast sharply with the image of sound educational system the government of Owelle Rochas Okorocha has been brandishing in the past three years.
A mysterious fire had last year completely razed the administrative building of the school and destroyed all vital documents that were kept in the principal’s office since the inception of the school, more than 50 years ago.
This is in addition to the immense dilapidation that the school has been facing over the years with the teachers and the people of the community calling on the state government to come to their aide by assisting them rebuild the school.
Twelve months after the school was gutted by fire, the debris of the fire and the abject dilapidation had remained there without any assistance.
When 247ureports.com visited the school, it was observed that the students and their teachers have been teaching and learning under trees within the precincts of their respective school.
According to an impeccable source in the school, each of the available classrooms in the school contained not less 120 students with plenty others standing by the windows. This, it was gathered, was because most of the classes were combined for lack of spaces
“The overcrowding affects both students and teachers. Imagine having to teach in a very hot classroom filled students. So, plenty others have to sit under mango trees,” the source said.
Speaking sometime ago when some members of the legislature visited the school, the principal of the school, Dr. D. O. Chibueze stated that the situation is beyond their ability and called on the state government to come to their rescue.
According to him, the razed building also provided classrooms, laboratories and library for the students. He lamented that the school could not put in use the seats and desks numbering about 920 which they received from the state government because of lack of classrooms and insecurity.
Efforts to get officials of the state to comment on the issue was unsuccessful as several phone calls put across to the commissioner for education, Mrs. Uche Ejiogu was not answered.
Free education has come to stay in Imo State and this should be encouraged but it has to be of some quality. We should wonder why in a situation where there is free education, parents who want good education for their children still patronize private educational facilities. Something must be definitely wrong. There need to be a shift where the government should devote substantial funds to education. There has to be commitment to do it right. I must forget the effect of corruption in all facets of our national life but the situation is not beyond us. We must look for committed administrators who will not corner the resources for development into their pockets.
Brethren,
The assertion by the ridiculous pocket writer did not hold water. The student well dressed, were having their few minutes lesson outside their classroom which is fabulous. Imo State have education as number one priority industry. The despicable assertion did not apply at all. Those that cultivate interest on tearing down should wake up and use that God given time and knowledge to be productive. Those frustrated 419, kidnappers should find some good things to do than all these useless biased mindset backward attitude that makes no sense at all. Imo State is fully loaded in educational standard and Governor Okorocha reactivated the lost glory and added modern spices to encourage educating every Imo born citizen to avoid people claiming that lack of fund denied them having education. People should stop unnecessary ridiculous frivolous attitude and smell the roses.
Please tell our governor that students of the oldest all girls secondary school Orlu – Morning Star Girls Secondary school Orlu – no longer have a road to their school. A road contractor damaged what ever existed as passable road, poured mud on it and abandoned the road – going to two years now. Students have been using bush path to school.