The Kafin Lemo Primary School in Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State has continued to be deplorable even after the government in 2021 alone approved N3.360 billion for the State Universal Basic Education.
On a visit to the school, one sees completely deplorable buildings that are near collapsing kids are made to learn. In one of the classrooms, the roof is already removed while the kids and their teacher learn under a high scorching sun.
This is the terrible condition of Kafin Lemo Primary School even as the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board (BASUBEB) got N3.360 billion budget approval in 2021 alone.
And, apart from the BASUBEB funds approval, the state Ministry of Education in the same year, got N20.636 billion budget approval.
With the deplorable nature of Kafin Lemo Primary School and other public schools across Bauchi State, it is unclear how the State Universal Basic Education Board deploys resources meant for education.
A staff of the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board (BASUBEB) who spoke to MAWA – Foundation in a telephone conversation and wants his identity concealed, blamed the deplorable conditions of public schools on education on corruption and lack of government interest in funding it.
Also, read Bauchi children learn sitting on wooden planks despite N10 million FG allocation
According to him, the Bauchi State government in the last decades has not shown any commitment to funding education. Speaking in an angry voice, he pointed out that despite poor funding of education by the government, officials saddled with the responsibilities of administering education often misappropriate the monies.
“We are in a deep mess in Bauchi, the government does not commit reasonable money to funding education, and the ones made available are often misappropriated by the officials who are the custodian of the funds”, the official told MAWA.
The Bauchi State government is not making a huge investment in education, and this is even as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ranked her low in education among other Nigerian States with 34.1%.
Mr. John Isa, a community champion, speaking to MAWA-Foundation, described the state of public schools in Bauchi State as terrible and unfortunate.
According to Isa, public schools in Bauchi died long ago, and the government does not care because children of the poor are the worse hit.
“It is terrible and most unfortunate that public schools and education in Bauchi State died years ago, the government does not care because the children of the poor are the ones affected”, Isa told MAWA.
MAWA-Foundation could not immediately reach out to the Bauchi State Government and the Universal Basic Education Board for official responses.
