By Mark Lenu
A lot of government-owned secondary schools in Rivers State do not have students. The reason is largely attributed to the deteriorating learning environment.
One of the schools facing a poor learning environment in the state is CSS Edagberi/Betterland in Ahoada where students sit on bare floors to learn in a significantly small room.
The school was worst hit by the ravaging 2022 flood, leading to the destruction of its learning facilities, and the state government was said to have done nothing to revamp the poor learning condition of the school.
While appealing for government urgent intervention, the Principal of the school, Wisdom Owolo told our correspondent that the deteriorating state of the school facilities had driven a lot of students out of the school, adding that parents and guardians no longer want to admit their children and wards in the school.
“Before now, we used to record a large number of parents and guardians coming to register their children and wards but we don’t see them coming anymore.
“They all complained that our learning facilities are in a sorry state which is true. As I speak, we don’t have seats for students including other learning and teaching materials.
“Our staff rooms don’t have chairs and tables for staff and teachers. The building roof is bad including the toilet facilities. The poor state of our school environment can discourage teaching and learning.
“We have pleaded with the governments at the LG and state level as well as other well-meaning organizations to come to our aid, yet the government has done nothing to revamp the school.
“But, we will remain hopeful that sooner, the current administration led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara will remember us and renovate the school,” the principal said.
