A civic tech group, MonITNG, has decried the deplorable condition of LGEA Primary School in Geregu Community, Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State, describing it as a grim reflection of the wider crisis plaguing Nigeria’s public education system.
MonITNG lamenting the situation described it as “potentially life-threatening”.
“This is not just about money spent; it’s about results that never materialized,” the platform stated. “Families in Geregu place their hopes in education as a path out of poverty, yet they’re left with classrooms that look like war zones.”
The group made the stark revelations during a recent visit to the school, and found pupils learning under hazardous conditions, “sitting cross-legged on bare, debris-strewn floors beneath a sagging roof and mold-covered walls. The classrooms lacked desks, chairs, and basic amenities, with overcrowded spaces heightening the risks to pupils’ safety and well-being”, MonITNG stated.
“These children, despite the risk of falling debris and health hazards, show up every day with hope in their eyes. Their teachers, too, display remarkable resilience in the face of abandonment,” MonITNG said in a statement issued on Sunday.
It lamented the learning environment as not just unfit, but “This is not just about infrastructure. It’s about the human cost of neglect. Every cracked ceiling tile and missing desk is a symbol of a dream deferred”.
While raising fresh questions about the effectiveness of past education budgets under former Governor Yahaya Bello, citing a glaring disconnect between billions of naira allocated and the dismal state of public schools, MonITNG urging the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, to take swift and decisive action to rehabilitate the school and others in similar conditions across the state.
“We call on Governor Ododo, and all stakeholders—community leaders, lawmakers, civil society groups—to prioritise public education. Renovate these schools. Send a message to every child in Geregu and beyond: you matter, and your dreams deserve a safe place to grow.”
