A worsening education crisis in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has forced over 300 pupils to withdraw from LEA Primary School, Gude in Kuje Area Council due to its deteriorating conditions.
According to a civic technology platform, Monitng on Thursday, the school’s collapsing roofs, crumbling walls, and unsafe environment have left students and teachers struggling to continue learning.
This comes as the FCT Administration has allocated over $1 billion to education infrastructure, yet schools in Abuja remain in disrepair. If such conditions persist in the capital city, concerns grow over the state of schools in rural communities.
“The government must ensure that allocated funds reach the schools that need them the most,” the statement read. “Nigeria already has over 18.3 million out-of-school children, the highest in the world.”
It further warned, “Every child pushed out of school due to neglect adds to this crisis, worsening poverty and insecurity.”
Emphasising the importance of education, the statement stressed, “Education is not just a right—it’s the foundation for national development.”
It urged immediate intervention, stating, “Nigeria Government, Wike must act NOW to fix this school and prevent more children from being denied their future.
“How many more must drop out before something is done?”
Education advocates and residents are calling on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Senator Ireti Kingibe to ensure that allocated funds are properly utilised to address the urgent needs of struggling schools.
Monitng has raised concerns over the deplorable condition of LEA Nuruddeen Nursery and Primary School Karu (LEA Islamiyya School Karu) in Abuja, urging urgent intervention from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Senator Ireti Kingibe.
The report highlighted the absence of basic amenities, noting that students are forced to sit on the bare floor due to a lack of desks, while teachers have no chairs or tables.
The school also suffers from a lack of proper fencing, whiteboards, and essential learning materials, making it an unconducive environment for learning.
“The pupils of LEA Nuruddeen Nursery and Primary School Karu (LEA Islamiyya School Karu) Abuja are learning in unbearable conditions!” MonITng stated in its appeal.
“They sit on the bare floor due to a lack of desks, while teachers have no chairs or tables.
“The school has no proper fencing, no whiteboards, and lacks basic learning materials.
“Old classrooms are falling apart, and an abandoned building project remains unfinished, leaving the children without a safe and conducive learning environment.”
In December 2024, Wike announced that his administration had allocated a total of approximately $1.045 billion (around N177 billion) for infrastructure development in the education sector.
This amount includes N3.5 billion in counterpart funding from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), bringing the total commitment to roughly N177 billion.
