In a class of 50 students, there are about 4 chairs, out of the 4 chairs, 3 or 4 students sit on 1, leaving the rest of the students to sit on bare floor with their wrappers while others hang on windows as some peep from outside listening to their teachers.
Welcome to Aperin Oniyere Commercial Grammar School, Orita Aperin, Ibadan, Oyo state, InsideOyo.com narrates the students’ learning ordeal in United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Learning City.
According to Hermann J Steinherr, “Great education is a combination of a supporting environment, dedicated teachers, and students who take joy in learning”. But for students of Aperin Oniyere Commercial Grammar School, Orita Aperin in Ibadan South East Local Government Area of Oyo state, they are not enjoying great education as their environment is not supporting at all.
Established in 1982, the school combines special students (physically challenged) and normal students. Not minding the dilapidated structure and unladylike environment, these two sets of students are combined under the same roof to learn using the same teaching techniques.
Located in Ibadan South East Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria, the last publicly known survey conducted by the government in 2012, the school reportedly had 286 male students and 502 female students making a total of 788 learners served by 14 teachers, the school had 13 classrooms. The number would have increased by now, especially with the new free education policy of Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration.
Aperin boasts of a two-story building with a tattered roof and open windows being used, 3 blocks occupied by weeds and trees – not serving the primary purpose of their constructions. One of its buildings had also been fenced for another use.
SCHOOL GOVERNING BOARD POLICY
Former Governor Abiola Ajimobi created a Schools Governing Board (SGB), for secondary schools in the state. This according to him would help in bridging the gap of deficiencies and improve the academic standards.
Ajimobi also said that the newly introduced SGB would better connect the government and the community in the management of various public secondary schools in the state. He stated that the board would be managed by various stakeholders such as community leaders, old student associations, principals and head boys/girls of each school.
As of 2018, the Oyo State government and the School Governing Board said they spent N2 billion to renovate and upgrade school facilities, out of which N800 million was contributed by the stakeholders.
Investigations by InsideOyo.com revealed that for the eight years of the immediate past government, a block of 3 classrooms was constructed in the school in 2012. This block is the only building in the school qualified to be called classrooms, as it has furniture and other amenities. The block is being used by students of Junior Secondary Schools.
PRINCIPAL’S COMMENT
All efforts to meet the principal and asked him on the development so far to rescue these students studying under these harsh conditions were futile. As he refused to speak with the media.
However, insideoyo.com reliably gathered that the Principal just resumed a few weeks ago after the former principal of the school retired.
TEACHER’S COMMENT
While narrating his ordeal with insideoyo.com, one of the teachers of the special students who does not want his name mentioned said the cost of education of special students is higher compared to the normal students. Giving an example of the procurement of writing materials, he said while normal students can get a pen and book for less than 500 naira, a special student writing material cost up to like 4,000 naira.
“As far as a blind person is concerned, all he needs is writing materials and have his tape recorder to keep up with the lesson. Another thing is furniture, just like any other person, he needs good furniture. If others can manage, he too will manage. But the basic thing is the learning materials if he doesn’t have them. There’s no how he will learn.
“We have computers but they are not fully functioning because some accessories are not available. And those computers were donated by philanthropists but they are not sufficient. There are about 3 or 4 and we have about 30, 40 students. So those computers are not sufficient to learn. We need more computers with all the accessories.” he said.
STUDENTS REACT
Some of the students of the school while narrating their ordeal to insideoyo.com said most of them come with wrapper from home to use to sit down in class.
The Head Boy of the school gave an instance of a class of 50 students that has just 4 chairs. He also appealed to the state government to come to their aid.
He said “If I can count it, we have 15 classes. It comes to a situation whereby two classes are combined and sitting together, science and arts are sitting together and this is not good. We can not withstand it. In our school, many students will come from their houses with wrappers, plastic chairs to sit down because we don’t have enough chairs.
“In a class, where we have 50 students, there are just only 4 chairs. The remaining 46 students are sitting on the floor, some are sitting on the window, which is very dangerous for our life. This is not conducive to us. We hereby plead to the present government to provide all these amenities”
Also speaking, the Head Girl of the school said the school does not have enough chairs for the Senior secondary school 3 students to sit for their West Africa Examination Council Examination (WAEC).
She also urged the government to help them build a place that will be conducive for their learning.
“Generally this school, we don’t have enough classes. We are combined together, both arts and science. That’s not even an issue, the main issue is that we SSS 3 students that we are supposed to write WAEC, we don’t even have a place to sit down for classes. Not to talk of during WAEC. So I will want the government to please help us build a place that’s very conducive for learning. So that the people and the students of this school will be proud of coming to school.
“We don’t have enough chairs. We managed ourselves on the chairs that are available. Those without chairs do manage or find somewhere to lean on or sit on the window.”
OYO GOVERNMENT REACTS
Oyo state government said the Commissioner for Education and other stakeholders have been duly notified of the conditions of the school in a message posted via the official handle of the Ministry of Education.
“Thank you, @insideoyo, message received. We have forwarded the details to the Commissioner for Education and other stakeholders.”
OYO GOVERNMENT FREE EDUCATION POLICY
Insideoyo.com recalls that the Seyi Makinde-led administration declared free education for all students in public primary and secondary schools in the state. A policy which prohibites students from paying money for whatever purpose in schools.
Distribution of Educational support materials like exercise books including West African Examination Council (WAEC) compendium was done. The state government has also approved and disbursed grants to various schools in the state for the running of the schools.
But however, the structural decay in Aperin Oniyere and other schools across the state needs urgent attention if the state government really wants to take education in the state to a higher level not forgetting that education is one of the key sectors the Seyi Makinde-led administration priorities.
