In the Potiskum Local Government area of Yobe State, students at the Government Science Technical College (GSTC) face distressing conditions. The school buildings are deteriorating, with cracked walls and leaky roofs. Due to a shortage of furniture, some students are forced to sit on the bare floor. Living conditions in the school’s hostels are deplorable, with many hostels at risk of collapsing.
A teacher at the school disclosed, “We have no choice but to continue using the classrooms because we lack alternatives.”
GSTC Potiskum, a historic secondary school in the northeast, has a notable history of producing successful personalities, including the current Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, former Minister of Police Affairs Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, and former NNPC General Managing Director among others.
Saminu Aliyu, a 15-year-old student, shared harrowing experiences of poor accommodation. Leaking roofs during rainy seasons and rooms lacking basic amenities like doors, windows, and ceilings make life difficult. Shockingly, 98% of students sleep on bare floors due to a shortage of beds, leading to inadequate meals for some.
Aliyu lamented, “We endure great suffering in this school. It’s disheartening to see how neglected we are. It makes me question the value of education when the government doesn’t provide necessities for our survival.”
Usman Garba, another student with aspirations of becoming a medical doctor, faces challenges from mosquitoes, poor sanitation facilities, and open defecation due to non-functional hostels and toilets.
Garba emphasized, “We sleep on bare floors without proper beds. Our toilets are in terrible condition. Despite these challenges, I’m committed to achieving my dreams through education.”
Additionally, an anonymous teacher highlighted the significant hardships students face due to a lack of essential resources for school renovation. He said the school urgently needs infrastructural improvements, especially in hostel blocks with inadequate roofing, decrying that many structures are decaying and unsafe for student learning.
He added that a substantial number of students are compelled to sit on the floor during lessons due to a shortage of chairs and desks.
Several teachers also spoke about the deteriorating accommodation facilities, emphasizing that some buildings are severely dilapidated and uninhabitable.
Parents’ Concerns
During the investigation, TCR spoke to the parents of some of the students studying at GSTC, Potiskum.
Mallam Sabo, a father, expressed the pain and stress they feel due to the poor conditions their children face at the school.
He said, “We are aware of the poor condition of the school, but we have no choice but to enrol them because we are poor and cannot afford a private school. To be frank, if politicians’ children were in this school, I am very sure the situation would be different.”
Musa Aliyu, who sought anonymity, told The Citizen Reports that his son was forced to come back home due to the lack of three square meals at the school.
He emphasized that the problem is not only about accommodation but also about the student’s overall well-being.
Challenges with Student Meals
Joseph Aliyu (not real name), a teacher at GSTC Potiskum, expressed concern about the school’s struggles to feed its roughly 2,500 students. This is primarily because the government, he stated, does not provide enough food to the school.
He added, “We sometimes can only feed our students once a day due to the lack of food, and you know most of the students come from humble homes, so this might affect the future of our young leaders.”
Joseph added that the government needs to work on the education system of the school for the betterment of Yobe’s citizens.
Yobe’s Education Budget and Appeal Fund
In 2019, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State presented a budget of N108 billion for 2020, with the highest allocation of N22.853 billion dedicated to education.
In the 2021 budget, tagged ‘Budget of Recovery, Consolidation, and Economic Rejuvenation,’ Basic and Secondary Education received N3.69 billion.
Yobe introduced an educational appeal fund campaign in Abuja on February 10, 2022, to rescue the state’s educational sector.
To support the project, business moguls Dahiru Mangal and Aliko Dangote, as well as the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), donated N1.8 billion. Mangal, the chief launcher, donated N1 billion, while Dangote donated N350 million. The governors contributed N350 million, and the Tahir Group of Companies donated N100 million.
However, the biggest question remains: Where did the donated money go, especially with historic schools like GSTC Potiskum deteriorating?
All efforts to reach out to Dr. Dauda Atiyaye, Executive Secretary of Yobe State Science and Technical Board, for comments regarding the school’s situation have been unsuccessful.
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