Yesterday, I visited an LEA Government Primary School to meet with the school management. This school had been highly recommended to SELI as a potential beneficiary of our educational playground. So we went, to see and survey and talk.
But as I listened to the Head Teacher talk, I couldn’t help but feel deeply saddened.
The Head Teacher expressed frustration about the dire situation in the school. How do we understand this–for over 7 years, the government hasn’t provided basic teaching supplies like chalk and lesson notebooks.
She’s had to find creative ways to keep the school running, seeking avenues to generate revenue. Public schools are supposed to be funded by the government. So why are basic supplies missing?
As we toured the classrooms, I noted on average that each had about 50 pupils who ordinarily should be the highest beneficiaries of taxpayers’ money. But sadly, they didn’t even have the essential tools to learn.
How do we expect these children to get a proper foundation in education when they don’t even have chalk? Chalk o, not even Markers for White Boards.
I’ve been asking since yesterday.
Where are the education budgets going? Who is responsible for this? Who should be held accountable for the money meant for these schools? Budgets were made. Money has exchanged hands. Where is the result of this exchange?
This school falls under the Local Government. Look around you, it is the Local Government election season. We see campaign posters everywhere, and soon, another crop of humans will be voted to sit over basic affairs like this.
But if we cannot hold local officials accountable for something as simple as providing chalk in 2024, how do we expect change? If we cannot hold those at the grassroots level accountable, who can we hold responsible? The president? The Senate?
Who will we hold accountable?
Yours in Play,
…
Don’t forget—I’m always rooting for you.
Salt. Light. Door.
