In Dei-Dei, Abuja, children learn under broken roofs and on bare floors as teachers struggle to keep hope alive amid Nigeria’s failing public education system.
In a small corner of Abuja’s Dei-Dei community, 10-year-old Felicity Ausa bends over her exercise book, struggling to concentrate as sunlight streams through holes in the roof. When it rains, she says, “we stop learning and run to the staff room, or go home.”
This is Zhibi LEA Primary School, one of many government-funded schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where learning takes place amid decay, overcrowding, and neglect.
A School Forgotten
Established in 2011 under the Bwari Area Council, the school was meant to bring quality education closer to residents of Dei-Dei, a growing district with an estimated population of over 70,000. Yet, 13 years later, it stands as a symbol of the widening gap between government promises and classroom realities.
Crumbling walls, missing roofs, and broken desks mark the daily experience of over 800 pupils packed into overcrowded classrooms. In some classes, children sit on the floor. Teachers borrow pupils’ chairs to conduct lessons.
When Goats Replace Pupils
A News Scope Africa investigation found classrooms with shattered windows and exposed ceilings. At night, wandering goats find shelter where children are meant to learn by day.
“During the rainy season, we can’t teach,” said Head Teacher Abubakar Adami. “The roof leaks, the walls are weak, and we have no water or toilets. Pupils use the bushes. We’ve appealed for help many times.”
The school currently runs with 59 teachers for 826 pupils, and no functioning toilet or borehole.
Voices from the Classroom
“We are not comfortable,” said Felicity, alongside her classmate, Samuel Alia. “There is too much sun, no roof, and no chairs. We beg the government to help us.”
Teachers including Mr. Abubakar Adami, the head teacher, share their frustration with News Scope Africa. “Primary One has three classes merged into one room. It’s unsafe,” lamented one teacher. “If urgent action isn’t taken, one of these buildings could collapse.”
A Systemic Failure
” Zhibi’s story mirrors the state of many public schools across the FCT’s six area councils. Abdullahi Sale, of the FCT Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All, said:
“I’ve visited schools across the area councils, many are in worse condition than Zhibi. Only those in the city centre are slightly better. UBEB must monitor its intervention funds more strictly.”
The Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), created under the 2004 UBE Act, is mandated to ensure quality and equitable education for every child. But chronic underfunding, weak oversight, and political delays have left many projects uncompleted.
Officials Respond
When contacted, Patience Ossai, spokesperson for the FCT Universal Basic Education Board, acknowledged the challenges and said efforts were underway to include some affected schools in the 2024 renovation budget.
“We are aware of the condition of several schools,” Ossai noted. “We hope that Zhibi LEA and similar institutions will benefit from upcoming interventions.”
The Urgency of Now
Education experts warn that continued neglect could erode the confidence of parents and push more children out of school. With Nigeria already hosting one of the world’s largest populations of out-of-school children, the stakes are high.
For pupils like Felicity, however, the dream remains simple, a roof over their heads and a desk to write on. “We just want a good place to learn,” she said softly. “So we can become something in life.”
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