Kaduna Government Schools in Deplorable Condition as Students Sit on Bare Floor Despite Billions Spent on Education

Kaduna Government Schools in Deplorable Condition as Students Sit on Bare Floor Despite Billions Spent on Education

A deepening crisis in Kaduna State’s public education system has sparked outrage, as hundreds of students continue to learn under deplorable and unsafe conditions. Despite repeated assurances from the state government that billions of naira have been invested in revamping the education sector, many schools across the state remain in shocking disrepair.

A recent investigation by Monitng, a civic technology platform committed to transparency and accountability in governance, has laid bare the grim reality facing students in Kaduna’s public schools. During a field visit to Government Secondary School, Cikaji, in Sabongari Local Government Area, the team documented heart-wrenching scenes that underscore the dire state of education infrastructure in the region.

According to Monitng’s findings, students are forced to sit on bare floors or stand throughout lessons in overcrowded classrooms that lack basic furniture. The classrooms themselves are dilapidated—walls are cracked and on the verge of collapse, ceilings have fallen in several sections, and leaking roofs make it impossible to learn during rainfall.

“The learning environment is deplorable — leaking roofs, falling ceiling boards, cracked walls on the verge of collapse. These conditions are unsafe and unfit for learning, yet hundreds of students gather daily with hope and determination to be educated,” the platform stated.

Teachers at the school, expressed frustration over the neglect of their facilities. They revealed that despite several letters and appeals to the Ministry of Education and local authorities, no tangible intervention has been made to address the problems. Many say they are forced to improvise with broken chairs and benches, while others struggle to manage overcrowded classrooms that hold more than double their capacity.

Parents have also voiced anger and disappointment over the situation, accusing the government of failing its responsibility to provide quality and safe education for children. “Every day, my daughter comes home complaining about sitting on the floor. Sometimes, she returns dirty because the floors are dusty and cracked. How can children learn in such conditions?” one parent lamented.

The deplorable state of the school stands in sharp contrast to the government’s recent claims of massive spending in the education sector. Official records and public statements have often highlighted billions of naira allocated for the renovation and construction of classrooms, provision of learning materials, and teacher welfare. However, the reality on the ground tells a different story.

Education experts have warned that the neglect of infrastructure in public schools undermines the state’s human capital development and risks widening the gap between children from privileged backgrounds and those from poor communities. “Education is the foundation for development. When children are taught in unsafe environments, their concentration and morale decline. The government must take urgent action to fix these schools before tragedy strikes,” said one education analyst.