By Hajara Leman
Some Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in Gombe, have urged the state government to rehabilitate dilapidated school structures to avert building collapse.
Malam Adamu Aliyu, the representative of the group, stated this on the sidelines of the State Level Sensitisation on the implementation of Safe School Declaration in Deba, Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of the state.
He said the call was imperative to facilitate rehabilitation of dilapidated school structures to avert building collapse, especially in rural areas.
Adamu, who is also the Master Trainer, Safe School Declaration Initiative in the state, said the measure would secure the school enviroment.
“Even though Gombe is peaceful in terms of other threats but in the area of infrastructure, the assesment report showed that they have scored 13 per cent, which is very low.
“This signifies that government needs to do more in rural communities because the structures in the urban areas are stronger.
“At Central Primary School, Deba, there are cracks on some of the buildings and damaged floors. Intruders are coming in to the school left and right because it is poros,” he said.
He said the School Based Management Committee had conducted minor repairs in the school, adding that, “there are things beyond their capacity like perimeter fencing and presence of security personnel day and night.
“We are calling on government to invest more in school infrastructure at the rural level,” he said.
Our correspondent reports that the Gombe government in collaboration with the UNICEF is implementing a safe school intervention programmes, designed to secure schools from violence and other threats as well as provide safe teaching and learning environment.