Photographs obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday show the extent of the deterioration, with sections of classroom roofs missing, rusted corrugated iron sheets hanging precariously over the buildings and walls showing deep cracks and crumbling plaster.
Parents and teachers of Pitiko Barguma Primary School in Kwanchi Ward, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, have raised the alarm over the dilapidated condition of the school, where storm-damaged roofs, cracked walls and partially collapsed classroom blocks have forced pupils to learn under trees and inside unsafe structures.
The residents said the school’s deteriorating infrastructure had persisted since 2014, leaving more than 200 pupils exposed to dangerous learning conditions and raising fears that the buildings could collapse on them.
Photographs obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday show the extent of the deterioration, with sections of classroom roofs missing, rusted corrugated iron sheets hanging precariously over the buildings and walls showing deep cracks and crumbling plaster.
Taraba
One of the photographs shows a long classroom block with a heavily rusted iron-sheet roof, large sections of which have reportedly been blown away by windstorms, leaving wooden rafters exposed to the elements.
The walls are severely cracked, with portions of the plaster missing, while several window frames have no glass or louvers. Another image shows a large, rusted iron sheet hanging dangerously over a damaged section of the building, where parts of the walls appear to be collapsing.
Inside the classrooms, pupils are seen sitting directly on the bare floor because there are no desks or chairs. Many of the children, dressed in green school uniforms, are gathered closely together to receive lessons, while some female pupils wear hijabs.
The classrooms have unplastered, stained walls, with a blackboard appearing to be among the few available teaching facilities.
Tara à school
Other photographs show pupils standing outside the damaged buildings, with sections of the structures partially collapsed and broken concrete slabs and rusted roofing sheets scattered around the premises.
The condition of the school has raised concerns among parents and residents, who fear that the pupils could be injured if the weakened structures collapse.
Comrade Muhammed Sahabi, a resident of Pitiko, told SaharaReporters on Monday that the situation had persisted for more than a decade, despite repeated appeals for government intervention.
“Over 200 pupils are attending the school. They go to school from 7am to 12 noon and they’re dismissed. They learn under the trees and the broken classrooms with some windstorm had destroyed its roofs,” he said.
“This school has been like this since we were still there in 2014. We are begging the government of Taraba State and local government area authorities to intervene and provide a decent learning environment for our children. They should not wait until tragedy strikes before rushing to do the needful,” Sahabi said.
Resident Appeals To Taraba Government
Sahabi, who spoke on behalf of concerned parents and pupils, published an appeal on Facebook on Saturday, calling on the Taraba State Government and the Karim Lamido Local Government Council to urgently rehabilitate the school.
The appeal was addressed to Governor Agbu Kefas, the Chairperson of Karim Lamido Local Government Area, Hon. Virginia Baba Bambur, and Hon. Anas Shuaibu Didango.
Titled “Heartbroken Appeal For The Children Of Pitiko Barguma, Kwanchi Word, Karim Lamido LGA Taraba State – No Single Good Classroom And Their Lives Are At Risk,” the letter described the school’s condition as a threat to the safety and future of the pupils.
In the letter, Sahabi wrote: “I write this letter with tears in my eyes and a very heavy heart. This is the true and current condition of Pitiko Barguma Primary School pupils in Pitiko Village, Karim Lamido LGA. Pitiko is the village of our former Executive Chairman of Karim Lamido LGA, Hon. Kabiru Aliyu Pitiko.
“Sirs, what you are seeing in the attached picture is not an abandoned building – it is their SCHOOL. It is what is supposed to be their classroom. The roof is completely blown off, the iron sheets are hanging dangerously, the walls are deeply cracked and partially collapsed. The building can fall on these innocent children at any moment.
“These children in green uniforms you see have no single good classroom to sit and learn. They are forced to learn under this death trap, under the sun and in the rain, with their lives at risk every single day.
“How can we expect quality education and good results from children learning in this condition? How can we talk about the future of Taraba State when the children of Pitiko are forgotten and left to die in silence?
“These are not just pupils; they are the future leaders, doctors, teachers, and chairmen of Karim Lamido and Taraba State. They deserve a safe, decent, and dignified classroom like every other child in Nigeria.
Taraba school
“On behalf of the concerned people and parents of Pitiko, I am passionately appealing to you: 1. To urgently visit Pitiko Village and see this school yourselves. 2. To declare a state of emergency on this school and urgently renovate/reconstruct this collapsed classroom block. 3. To save these children from learning in a death trap before tragedy happens.
“Please, Your Excellency, Honourable Chairperson, and Honourable Member, do not let this cry go unheard. The children of Pitiko are your children too. They are calling on you. Our children deserve a good environment!”
The appeal was signed by “A Concerned Citizen of Pitiko Village, Karim Lamido LGA, Taraba State, Comr Muhammed Sahabi Pitiko for Parents and Pupils of Pitiko.”
Parents Fear Classroom Collapse
The residents said the condition of the school has deprived pupils of a safe and conducive environment for learning, with children reportedly forced to attend lessons under trees or in damaged classrooms exposed to the elements.
They warned that the combination of weakened walls, missing roofing sheets and partially collapsed structures posed a serious risk to the pupils, particularly during heavy rainfall and windstorms.
Sahabi also questioned how pupils could be expected to perform well academically when they lacked adequate classrooms and basic learning facilities.
The appeal highlighted the need for urgent government intervention to prevent a possible disaster and ensure that children in the community have access to safe educational facilities.
SaharaReporters notes that the school is located in Pitiko, the home village of former Karim Lamido Local Government Chairman, Hon. Kabiru Aliyu Pitiko.
Despite the community’s appeals, residents say the school’s condition has remained unresolved, leaving parents and teachers increasingly worried about the safety of the children.
They are calling on Governor Kefas and the Karim Lamido Local Government Council to urgently inspect the facility, reconstruct the damaged classroom blocks and provide desks and other essential learning materials.
The residents warned that further delays could expose the pupils to greater danger, urging the authorities to act before the deteriorating structures collapse and cause injuries or loss of life.
