Education
Edo School in ruins despite N500M fund for zonal intervention projects
Written By: SaharaReporters
15 Jul 2025 08:31 AM
Afuze, Edo – St. James Grammar School in Afuze, Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State, remains in a state of severe disrepair despite the allocation of about N500 million for schools under the 2024 Zonal Intervention Projects.
A civic technology platform, Monitng, has described the situation as shocking and unacceptable, questioning how such significant funding has failed to deliver a safe learning environment for students and teachers.
Monitng urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to take urgent action after revealing the shocking state of St. James Grammar School in Afuze.
“Dear Governor Monday Okpebholo, our team visited St. James Grammar School in Afuze, Owan East LGA, Edo State, and what we encountered was truly shocking,” the group said.
Monitng reported that the entire blocks of classrooms are in terrible condition and urgently require repairs to ensure the safety of pupils and teachers.
The organisation also alleged that despite billions of naira allocated to the state’s education sector under former Governor Obaseki, including funds from the EdoBEST programme, the school has yet to benefit from any renovation work.
It described classrooms with collapsing ceilings, leaking roofs, and cracked floors, posing serious hazards to everyone who uses them.
“The ceilings are collapsing, roofs are leaking, and the floors are cracked and unsafe for students and teachers,” it said.
Specialist facilities like the science laboratory and the library, they added, are completely abandoned and in ruins, depriving students of vital learning resources.
“The science laboratory, once intended to be a space for learning and discovery, is now abandoned, and the library is in ruins,” it said.
The letter concluded by highlighting that pupils and teachers face these conditions daily, with no sign that improvements will be made soon.
In another related development, about N500 million has been allocated to renovate some select schools in Owan Federal Constituency.
The organisation noted that the money was approved under the 2024 Zonal Intervention Projects for the ‘Rehabilitation and Furnishing of Selected Schools in Owan Federal Constituency’.
“One of the listed projects, ZIP20240512, was meant to renovate a 3-classroom block at St. James’s Grammar School, Afuze, in Owan East LGA, Edo State,” it said.
It said, “However, when the contractor, Kenzy Concept Limited, arrived at the school, there was no existing 3-classroom block to renovate.
“The only structure standing was a dilapidated 6-classroom block that had been abandoned for over 10 years roofless, crumbling, and clearly unsafe for any form of rehabilitation.”
This was confirmed by the school principal, who stated that there were no other usable classroom blocks.
Despite the state of the structure, Monitng said the contractor went ahead to patch up just three classrooms within the dangerous building instead of building a new block.
It said, “Despite the obvious structural dangers and the fact that the building was far beyond repair, the contractor went ahead to work on just 3 classrooms within the weakened structure. No effort was made to construct a new block or to address the larger problem of the collapsed learning environment.
“The remaining classrooms were completely ignored, and the entire school remains in a deplorable state.”
“This is a gross misuse of public funds and a deliberate attempt to shortchange the people. Renovating half of a collapsed building cannot be considered a meaningful intervention, especially when the lives and future of students are at stake. The intent of the project to provide quality learning infrastructure has been completely undermined,” Monitng said.
The group has called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Federal Ministry of Education, and the member representing Owan Federal Constituency, Prof. Julius O. Ihonvbere, to intervene immediately.
“The children of Afuze deserve more than abandoned promises and substandard projects. They deserve a safe and dignified place to learn,” it said.
ATTENTION!!!
Dear Gov @m_akpakomiza,
Our team visited St. James Grammar School in Afuze, Owan East LGA, Edo State, and what we encountered was truly shocking.
The entire blocks of classrooms are in a deplorable state and urgently need repair. Despite the billions of naira… pic.twitter.com/UOODa5vcwT
— MonITNG (@monitng) July 13, 2025
A civic technology platform, Monitng, has described the situation as shocking and unacceptable, questioning how such significant funding has failed to deliver a safe learning environment for students and teachers.
Monitng urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to take urgent action after revealing the shocking state of St. James Grammar School in Afuze.
“Dear Governor Monday Okpebholo, our team visited St. James Grammar School in Afuze, Owan East LGA, Edo State, and what we encountered was truly shocking,” the group said.
Monitng reported that the entire blocks of classrooms are in terrible condition and urgently require repairs to ensure the safety of pupils and teachers.
The organisation also alleged that despite billions of naira allocated to the state’s education sector under former Governor Obaseki, including funds from the EdoBEST programme, the school has yet to benefit from any renovation work.
It described classrooms with collapsing ceilings, leaking roofs, and cracked floors, posing serious hazards to everyone who uses them.
“The ceilings are collapsing, roofs are leaking, and the floors are cracked and unsafe for students and teachers,” it said.
Specialist facilities like the science laboratory and the library, they added, are completely abandoned and in ruins, depriving students of vital learning resources.
“The science laboratory, once intended to be a space for learning and discovery, is now abandoned, and the library is in ruins,” it said.
The letter concluded by highlighting that pupils and teachers face these conditions daily, with no sign that improvements will be made soon.
In another related development, about N500 million has been allocated to renovate some select schools in Owan Federal Constituency.
The organisation noted that the money was approved under the 2024 Zonal Intervention Projects for the ‘Rehabilitation and Furnishing of Selected Schools in Owan Federal Constituency’.
“One of the listed projects, ZIP20240512, was meant to renovate a 3-classroom block at St. James’s Grammar School, Afuze, in Owan East LGA, Edo State,” it said.
It said, “However, when the contractor, Kenzy Concept Limited, arrived at the school, there was no existing 3-classroom block to renovate.
“The only structure standing was a dilapidated 6-classroom block that had been abandoned for over 10 years roofless, crumbling, and clearly unsafe for any form of rehabilitation.”
This was confirmed by the school principal, who stated that there were no other usable classroom blocks.
Despite the state of the structure, Monitng said the contractor went ahead to patch up just three classrooms within the dangerous building instead of building a new block.
It said, “Despite the obvious structural dangers and the fact that the building was far beyond repair, the contractor went ahead to work on just 3 classrooms within the weakened structure. No effort was made to construct a new block or to address the larger problem of the collapsed learning environment.
“The remaining classrooms were completely ignored, and the entire school remains in a deplorable state.”
“This is a gross misuse of public funds and a deliberate attempt to shortchange the people. Renovating half of a collapsed building cannot be considered a meaningful intervention, especially when the lives and future of students are at stake. The intent of the project to provide quality learning infrastructure has been completely undermined,” Monitng said.
The group has called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Federal Ministry of Education, and the member representing Owan Federal Constituency, Prof. Julius O. Ihonvbere, to intervene immediately.
“The children of Afuze deserve more than abandoned promises and substandard projects. They deserve a safe and dignified place to learn,” it said.
ATTENTION!!!
Dear Gov @m_akpakomiza,
Our team visited St. James Grammar School in Afuze, Owan East LGA, Edo State, and what we encountered was truly shocking.
The entire blocks of classrooms are in a deplorable state and urgently need repair. Despite the billions of naira… pic.twitter.com/UOODa5vcwT
— MonITNG (@monitng) July 13, 2025
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