The LEA Primary School Barwa, located behind Gosa Market along Airport Road in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), FCT, is in a state of severe disrepair despite the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) allocating over N200 billion to education between 2023 and 2025.
A recent visit to the school revealed appalling conditions that have persisted for more than three years.
According to a report by civic technology platform MonITNG, part of the school structure has collapsed, forcing pupils into overcrowded and broken classrooms.
“What we saw was heartbreaking,” the report stated. “Pupils now learn in an environment that is unsafe and unfit for learning.”
The severe lack of classrooms has led to the consolidation of several classes into a single one, greatly impacting the quality of education provided. Additionally, the classrooms suffer from leaking roofs and damaged ceiling boards, making them almost uninhabitable during the rainy season.
“This is no place for any child to learn,” a concerned observer noted during the visit.
“Even more troubling is the complete lack of toilet facilities for both pupils and staff, forcing everyone to resort to open defecation and raising serious public health concerns.”
The school, established in 2005, appears to have been abandoned. Stakeholders are now calling for urgent government intervention.
“We call on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and Senator Ireti Kingibe to take urgent action to restore dignity to LEA Primary School Barwa,” the report stated. “The school is in dire need of immediate renovation, more classrooms, and adequate sanitation facilities. We must not fail the next generation,” MonITNG emphasized.
This situation starkly contrasts with the massive funds earmarked for educational infrastructure in the FCT, highlighting a troubling gap between budgetary allocations and on-the-ground realities.
