The National Union of Teachers has condemned the condition of public primary and secondary schools, many of which are overpopulated.
According to The PUNCH, a visit to the schools revealed the brunt of the neglect by the state authorities to make the necessary investments needed to upgrade and boost the aging amenities despite the increasing number of pupils.
In reaction, the National Union of Teachers stated that the responsibility for the subpar condition of basic education in the nation lies with the political class, emphasizing the need for accountability.
The Secretary-General of the NUT, Dr. Mike Ene, expressed concern over the failure of certain states to access the funds allocated by the Universal Basic Education Commission.
“When you want to fix a problem, you do not start from the middle but you go to the root. Now we understand that the Senate is probably looking at the issue of out-of-school children but even if you want to bring those children back to the classroom where do you want to fix them?
“The statistics available will shock you. We have congested classrooms, dilapidated buildings, teachers who are not well-paid, and the like.
“When I was a board member of UBEC, you would see the funds set apart by the Federal Government and then states would not pay their counterpart funds to access this intervention fund. How will classrooms be fixed? Some states don’t even care and they feel that nothing will happen.’
“In Nigeria, the statistics on out-of-school children are very scary. Even when you go to war-torn countries, I doubt you will have such figures. We can no longer afford to neglect education, particularly at the basic level.’’
