Rots in Umuahia Public Schools: An Eyesore, Robbers’ Hideout, Weeds Gradually Taking Over.

It was almost impossible for Education Review to ignore what it discovered was a pathetic condition of some public schools in Aba, Abia state. Moved by patriotic zeal, even as it anchored the story in the very best of professional and ethical standard, Education Review, devoid of bias, reported the story as its cover story a fortnight ago, and behold, hell was let loose.

First, a certain Ben Onyechere, reacting to the story in the Vanguard said the structures as captured in the report never existed despite the fact that the names of the principals and locations of the schools were given. Next, there was another reaction in the Daily Independent, alleging that the report was not balanced, even when the government angle to the story was well reported.

Again, the government took advertorial in some national dailies claiming that the contract to rehabilitate the schools were awarded in 2003 to the mother of former governor Orji Uzor Kalu.

However, the soundset submission came from the Deputy Chief of staff to the deputy governor, Chief Charles Ogbonnaya, who argued that, “we met a complete rot in Abia public schools and we are doing our best to better what we met on ground.

You know very well that we cannot solve all the problems at the same time. The question is: are we making honest and sincere effort to restore dignity to Abia State public schools and the answer is in the affirmative. If it happens that because of logistics or other related hiccups some schools are not yet given adequate attention, does that mean that we are neglecting public schools in the state and I am sure that the answer in this case is an emphatic no.

No person can stop you, I mean you as a reporter from doing your job, but you must do it with every sense of honesty, dignity and professionalism.” In view of the foregoing, Education Review beamed its searchlight towards the state of public schools in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State and the revelation is quite instructive.

UMUAHIA CITY
Umuahia is a city with many artefacts. Its importance transcends tradition, politics, commerce, religion, sports and education. It is a city which name invoke profound memories of the Igbo heroics. Politically, most South Easterners still remember that the Peoples General, the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, relocated to the city for safety in the heat of the Nigeria-Biafra civil war.

If Umuahia was just like any other city, Ojukwu would not have sought refuge in this ancient enclave. Commercially, Umuahia was a gateway of sort as the railway terminus strategically located in the heart of the town served as a mainstay of the economy of the old Eastern Region. It has also been stated that one great treasure Umuahia bequeathed to the Igbo nation and indeed Nigeria, was the prestigious institution called Government College, Umuahia. It is public knowledge that Umuahia, had great iinfluence on the education of modern Nigerian and African intellectuals. Take a look at this: Chinua Achebe, Chris Okigbo, Gabriel Okara, Elechi Amadi, Aniebo, Chukwuemeka Ike, Chike Momah, Saro-Wiwa (all giants of Literature); Laz Ekwueme, Ben Enweonwu,Jaja Wachukwu, N.U. Akpan, Okoi Arikpo, Bede Okigbo, Endeley, J.O.J. Okezie, Kesley Harrison, Chu Okongwu and lots of others. sadly the story is no longer the same as most public schools in Umuahia are in a state of dilapidation. Find out how.

DRAMA OF IMPUNITY
Nothing dramatises the rot in Abia public schools than the rot in Government College, Umuahia, Ohuhu Community Secondary School Umuahia and Secondary Technical School, Ofeme, also in Umuahia.

The three schools are now ghosts of their former selves. If for any reason Fisher, the man widely credited with the establishment of Government College, Umuahia, should visit the school he nurtured, the missionary would be shocked at the derelict state of the school that many believed produce scholars that pioneered African Literature.

The main gate situated along the ever boisterous Ikwuano-Umuahia road, had been under lock and key for a long time now. Infact, the Fisher bust, erected in his memory, is a clear manifestation of ruination of the Government College Umuahia as it has been buffeted by rain and scorched by the sun. This grotto that would have been a witness to the academic excellence of this great institution look abandoned and forgotten. As Fisher’s carven looks finished, so also most of the structures that qualified it as a centre of excellence have either collapsed or they are in various state of decimation.

The principal resident’s, students hostels, lavatories, and some classroom blocks are all begging for attention. The principal, High Chief, Jerry Okezie Onyemachi regretted that the school has lost its charm and colour, but revealed that the State Government is doing its best to re-fix it.

A visit to Ohuhu Community Secondary School, whose history of academic excellence in the past was quite impressive shows that the school is living on past glory. Just like Goverment College Umuahia, most of the buildings in these schools are dilapidated even as the entire premises is overgrown by weeds.

It must be recorded that the school which was once fenced is today lying bare thereby giving criminals access to use the place as a hideout. Teachers and students are usually harassed and robbed on regular basis with reckless abandon.

Some of the teachers who spoke on the condition of anonymity did not hide their feelings on the poor state of the city. They revealed that they were occasionally harassed by snakes and other dangerous animals that have invaded the college a couple of times. They urged the relevant authorities to come to their aid by fencing the school to ward off the activitie of criminals that operate around the place unhindered.

One of the teachers narrated an incident in which a teacher was robbed at gun point by hoodlums who strayed into the school premises from the express road. Education Review learnt that such incident has become a regular occurrence in the school. As it is with Government College, Ohuhu Community Secondary School so also it is with Secondary Technical School, Ofeme, a College built and designed to offer technical-based subjects.

Complete at incepption with workshops, laboratories, library etc, the school esablished on an expanse of land that can accommodate a university or polytechnic has decayed irretrievably.

Most structures in the school are decrepit while some others are ramshackle. A teacher who would not like his name appear in print revealed that on several occasions the ceilings had collapsed during classes, almost putting the students’ lives in jeopardy.

Whenever it rains, nobody stays inside any classroom for fear of dilapidated roof falling on them. The school which was built to serve several communities has just few students in its attendance.

Sun