Nigeria: Parents Lament Shortage of Chairs, Desks At Lea School

What the report says

Parents and school officials at the Local Education Authority Primary School in Idu-Koro, in Abuja Municipal Area Council of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, say poor classroom conditions are affecting pupils’ learning. According to Daily Trust, parents complained that some children are sitting on bare floors because the school lacks enough desks and chairs, while damaged, leaking roofs make classes difficult to hold, especially when it rains.

The report said parents and a teacher described damage across the school’s classrooms after part of the roof was blown off. One parent urged the LEA and the FCT Universal Basic Education Board to step in and rehabilitate the school. The PTA chairman also said teachers do not have enough seating and that younger and older pupils are being combined in one classroom because of the shortage of furniture.

Daily Trust reported that a visit to the school showed exposed roofing, limited furniture and pupils sharing or sitting on the floor. An LEA official said the matter had already been forwarded to the education board and that the school was awaiting approval for intervention. A senior FCT UBEB official also said the school had been included among those scheduled for renovation in AMAC, with UBEC intervention funds said to have been released for some primary schools in the area.

The situation highlights wider concerns about infrastructure gaps in public primary schools and the impact such conditions can have on teaching, attendance and classroom safety.