It was a startling and appalling situation at the Enekorogha Grammar School in Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, seeing students sitting on the bare floor to take classes and as well write their examinations while teachers has no offices nor chairs and tables.
However, despite facing this challenging conditions of lacks of basic educational resources such as desks and chairs, dilapidated classrooms forcing students to write exams and learn while sitting on the bare floor, the students are still eager to learn.
Founded in the early 1980’s, the school had a very little or no government impact and presence couple with shortage of qualified teachers.
Despite the huge monthly allocations coming to the Delta State government, one will be astonished when you witness the state of Enekorogha Grammar School with dilapidated structures, no desk for student to learn and disturbing environment infested with reptiles without fence making the environment so porous.
According to the Education Committee Chairman of the Community, Mr. Peter Ganagana, the state government has never built a single structure in the school as the only six block of classrooms building was built by an individual and other buildings single handedly built by the community.
The neglect of the school founded in the early 1980 by successive administration in Delta state is mind-blowing. With just few block of classrooms, there are no furniture’s, roofs, windows, doors, chairs, good chalkboards and proper staff room.
The Education Committee Chairman further disclosed, that with over 350 population of students, 80% of the students does not have seats and desk to learn.
He said; “The few seats we have in the school where provided by the community and the ones donated by an old student of the school who visited sometime ago. He generously donated Fifty (50) desk to the school, and this are the only seats in the school and it is not enough.
” It is pitiable that our children sits on bare floor to learn daily, and even as they write this second term exam, beginning from JSS 1 to SS3, there are no desk for them to write.
“The school has just six teachers and the principal made it seven government teachers, and as you know, this is not enough to take all the subjects, so the community have to engage volunteers teachers that are given little stipends monthly.”
He further revealed that tired of the embarrassing and ugly situation and the learning condition of the students, the community wrote a letter to the Post Primary Education Board and the Ministry of Education, this he said, made the board and ministry to send a delegation to visit the school and see the situation to get a first hand information, but lamented that all the promises made to look into the appalling state of the school, none has been fulfilled till date.
Despite these challenges, the population of the students keep soaring yearly as they remain determined and resilient to excel in their studies and work hard to achieve their academic goals in life. The community on their part, has dedicated their resources and commitment to give their children quality education despite the lack of supports from the government and poor resources.
Aware of the school’s struggles, the community has made efforts to provide support in any way they can by sourcing for help from among themselves and individuals for donation of textbooks, stationery, and other supplies to help improve the learning activities of the students.
One thing that gladdens the heart of any visitor is the fact that despite the difficult and disgusting circumstances, the students at Enekorogha Grammar School are determined to succeed and are making the most of the opportunities they have. Their resilience and perseverance serve as an inspiration to all who visit the school and witness their determination to learn and achieve their dreams.
Meanwhile, aside the lacks of furnitures, the ceilings of many of the classrooms had been destroyed long ago with roofing sheets pulling off couple with the ramshackle floor where students sits to take their classes.
The neglect of the school by the Delta State government is mind-blowing with just few blocks of classroom built by an individual and the community long ago without desks is disturbing.
Asked if the teachers are coming to school and the role of the principal in ensuring the students are given quality education, Mr. Peter said, the principal reside in Ughelli, but blamed the government for not doing their job diligently, but said the focus majorly is for the state government to come and do a total overhauling of Enekorogha Grammar School.
“We are appealing to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to come to our aid and do a thorough renovation of existing structures, build new structures and furnish all classes with basic learning materials.
” We also call on him to send more teachers to the school as the strength of the teachers both the six government teachers and the community volunteers teachers do not match the population of students in the school.
“Several efforts has been made by the community leaders and the school authority to get government attention but all seems to have failed as no positive response has come out of this.”
The people and leadership of Enekorogha Community in Burutu Local Government Area are calling on the state government and the administration of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to as a matter of urgency visit the school before the next term and begin a total renovation and provision of basic educational learning materials to enable the students learn comfortably like their other counterparts in other places and areas of the state.
Efforts made to reach the school principal to comment on the situation of the school prove abortive as his phone numbers made available to this reporter, when contacted says ‘Not reachable’. We use this opportunity to call on the relevant government agencies and the state governor to look into the disturbing condition of the Enekorogha Grammar School in Burutu Local Government Area of the state.
