The dilapidated state of school infrastructure in Alkaleri is taking a toll on students’ learning experience.
At Government Girl’s Arabic College, Alkaleri, a boarding school, crumbling halls and lack of basic amenities like lights and solar street lights are forcing students to rely on torchlights to navigate the compound and study at night.
The water situation is particularly dire, with students often having to fetch water from distant sources, compromising their safety and security.
Similarly, at Haruna Memorial Primary School, inadequate classrooms are leading to overcrowding, with over 200 students in some classes.
This creates an enabling environment for the spread of communicable diseases and hinders effective learning.
The absence of lighting in the classrooms results in a stuffy and overheated environment, posing health risks to both students and teachers.
Despite these challenges, the Connected Development Schools Project Tracking team commended the contractor for the school fencing project, which was found to be satisfactory. The team praised the School Base Monitoring Committees (SBMCs) for ensuring quality work and holding contractors accountable.
The Headmaster of Haruna Memorial Primary School, Mallam Danlami Yakubu, testified that nine-inch blocks were used for fencing the school and barbed wires were installed to deter intruders.
The school has a total of 1,701 primary students and 147 nursery pupils, with only three functional toilets shared among teachers, boys, and girls.
The absence of a reliable water source forces the school to buy water from external sources, which is costly, insufficient, and unsustainable.
CODE’s mentorship program aims to empower five girls from four Local Government Areas (Alkaleri, Bauchi, Ningi, and Zaki) to realize their potential through mentorship and ICT training. Onayi Amina Lawal, Quality Assurance Officer for Connected Development, led the team in unveiling the selected girls, who will participate in the mentorship program leveraging information and communication technology.
After the training, CODE plans to award tablets to the girls in recognition of their dedication and focus, promoting gender inclusivity with the slogan “Educate a girl, change the world”.
According to the Connected Development team, while the school fencing project is a positive step, the lack of functional water boreholes and other basic amenities is a significant concern that needs to be addressed.
