Beside Adamawa Government House, school battles decay, thirst

Detailed summary

Dougirei Secondary School, located behind the Adamawa Govt House, is in a deplorable state with dilapidated classrooms, no water, and unusable toilets. Read More:…

Dougirei Secondary School, located less than 100 metres behind the Adamawa State Government House in Yola, has been left in a deplorable condition, with pupils and teachers struggling to cope with dilapidated classrooms, inadequate furniture, lack of water and other essential learning facilities.

The school, situated in the Boronji community of Yola North Local Government Area, is a close neighbour to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s office. However, its proximity to the seat of power appears to have done little to improve its deteriorating infrastructure.

A visit by Arewa PUNCH to the school on Tuesday revealed a facility struggling to function as a centre of learning, with its physical condition resembling an abandoned Internally Displaced Persons’ camp, particularly when students are on vacation.

Teachers and some students were seen sitting under trees for lessons and other academic activities, while the staff room, which accommodates personnel of both the junior and senior secondary sections, was too small to provide adequate space for them.

The classrooms were equally in a terrible state, with ceilings falling apart and creating spaces that could serve as hiding places for dangerous reptiles. The structures appeared unsafe for students and teachers, raising concerns about the possibility of a collapse.

Despite the school’s proximity to the Adamawa State Water Board’s headworks, the institution has no functional water supply, a situation that has rendered its toilet facilities unusable.

Arewa PUNCH observed that the toilets, meant for both male and female students, had been shut because of the absence of water, forcing students to resort to nearby bushes whenever they needed to answer the call of nature.

The school also lacks an examination hall, leaving students writing external examinations, including the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council examinations, under trees and sitting on large stones within the premises.

The…

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