Dilapidated School Building: Community Appeals To Ondo Govt

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

Ondo state government has been urged as a matter of urgency to rehabilitate the only Community High school in Aponmu, in Akure South Local Government area of the state following its current dilapidated state.

The Dilapidated State of Aponmu Community High School, Aponmu

The school which was founded in September, 1980 by the first civilian governor of Ondo State, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, serves over 50 communities in the area has become a burden to Parents and Teachers Association through whose efforts the school has being sustained over the years.

The present condition of the school has become worrisome when CityMirrorNews visited the school. The school has been damaged to the extent that the students sit on bare floor and under trees to take classes, the roofs are collapsing and the buildings are partially or critically damaged.

While speaking with our Correspondent, the Chairman, Parents and Teachers Association Aponmu Community High school, Hon. Fashola Richard Oluwasegun said most of the existing classrooms were put in place with the efforts of the Association.

Their efforts, he said could no longer sustain the school as government placed embargo on collection of any form of money in what ever guise.

In spite of that, he said, the Association went ahead to procure burglaries for the block that accommodates Science Laboratory, Staff room and the Principal Office in recent times.

Hon. Fashola disclosed that a three classroom block which was built by Education Trust Fund ETF during the tenure of late Dr. Olusegun Agagu which was meant to serve only Senior Secondary School 1 is now serving SSS 1 to 3.

According to him, the last straw that broke the Carmel’s back was the havoc wrecked on the school by rainstorm on 3rd May, 2018 when the roofs of the main examination Hall and that of other blocks craved in to the rainstorm.

He lamented the poor situation of the school as students now study under trees around.

Fashola said before and after the rainstorm havoc, the PTA had written series of letters, appealing for government intervention, even though their subsequent visits are yet to yield the required results.

As a saving grace, he said, the Hall that was being used for meetings by PTA is now partitioned to accommodate two classrooms even as students of SSS 3 are found writing NECO examination in an in conducive environment.

His words, “The rainstorm wrecked havoc on the school on 3rd May, 2018, and PTA account is zero level when I look at the account, in which we had an emergency meeting with all parents where we resolved that each student should pay 1000, and we have over 300 students. We also resolved to send letter of assistance to the government and old students.

“We have written many letters but as at today, no response from anybody expect 1000 being paid by our students through their parents.

“The experience of our students here is disheartening because all the classroom are not in good condition for learning at all and they are not happy with it, even the staff room and Principal office are leaking when its rains. Most of the time, Principal do sit under trees during the school period because of heat.

“We are appealing to Ondo state government under the leadership of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and well meaning Nigerians to come to our assistance as a matter of urgency because the damage done by the rainstorm is too enormous for parents to do alone”.

Some of the students that spoke with our correspondent expressed displeasure over the clustered situation of classrooms which they said is making learning difficult for them as Principal of the school was not around when visited the school.