The Bandawa community in Karim-Lamido Local Government Council of Taraba State has appealed to the state government and other relevant stakeholders to urgently rehabilitate the Bandawa School, describing its condition as unsafe and unsuitable for learning.
The appeal was made by the National Youth President of Bandawa Community, Mr Ishaya Peter Bandawa, who on Tuesday called on the Taraba State Government, Karim-Lamido Local Government Council, the member representing Karim I Constituency, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), UNESCO, non-governmental organisations, philanthropists and development partners to intervene.
According to him, the school, which serves as the only school in the Bandawa community, has deteriorated significantly, with damaged buildings, cracked walls, fallen ceilings and damaged roofing structures.
He said the school also lacked basic learning facilities, leaving pupils to resume academic activities in an unsafe and unconducive environment.
“The community is not asking for luxury but for a safe and functional learning environment where children could acquire quality education and develop their potential,” Bandawa said.
He acknowledged the commitment of the Taraba State Government to free and compulsory education at the primary and secondary school levels but stressed that such a policy could only achieve its desired objectives when pupils had access to functional classrooms and adequate learning facilities.
The community leader appealed to Governor Agbu Kefas, the lawmaker representing Karim I Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Abner Shitu Dabo, and relevant education authorities to urgently intervene by rehabilitating the school and providing classrooms, furniture, teaching materials and other essential facilities.
He noted that although Bandawa was a rural community, the aspirations of its children were not limited by their geographical location.
According to him, some of the pupils could become doctors, teachers, engineers, leaders and other professionals if provided with the right educational environment.
“Bandawa may be a rural community, but the dreams of our children are not,” he said, stressing that the future of the children should not be determined by the poor condition of their school.
Bandawa urged stakeholders to regard the appeal as a collective call to action rather than an attempt to blame any individual or institution.
He said the photographs of the school provided evidence of its deteriorating condition and urged authorities and well-meaning individuals to act promptly.
“Let us rebuild the school. Let us restore hope. Let us save the future of Bandawa’s children,” he appealed.
