Delta Govt Evacuates Students From Unsafe Classrooms

Delta State government has intensified efforts to safeguard students in public secondary schools with decisive interventions.

At Unity Secondary School, Okpanam, the commissioner for Secondary Education, Dr Kingsley Ashibogwu, ordered the immediate evacuation of students from unsafe classroom structures following an on-the-spot assessment visit to the school in Okpanam.

The visit followed repeated calls from concerned Deltans urging the state government to urgently intervene and prevent possible loss of lives arising from the deteriorating state of some school facilities.

The inspection team, which included the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Ernest Ossai, the Head of Education Project Unit, Arc. Orerhime Iduseri and other ministry officials, assessed the structural condition of buildings reportedly posing danger to students and staff.

Addressing school authorities after the inspection, Ashibogwu reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to student safety, stressing that no child should learn under life-threatening conditions.

As an interim measure, the commissioner directed that students be immediately relocated to safer classrooms pending the construction of new structures aimed at providing a lasting solution to the infrastructure challenge.

On Tuesday, the commissioner continued his school monitoring exercise with a visit to Ibusa Mixed Secondary School, Ibusa, over reports that traders had taken over parts of the school premises for commercial activities.

On arrival, ministry officials observed traders displaying food items such as tomatoes, garri, yams, and other commodities within the school compound, creating an environment considered not conducive for effective teaching and learning.

Clearly displeased by the development, Ashibogwu described the situation as unacceptable, noting that allowing market activities within school premises compromises security and disrupts academic activities.

The commissioner immediately ordered all traders to vacate the school premises and issued a stern warning prohibiting any future trading activities within the environment.

He also directed the urgent repair of the school’s damaged perimeter fence to prevent unauthorized entry and restore sanity within the learning space.

Briefing the commissioner, the school principal, Mrs. Beatrice Orru, disclosed that earlier reports had been made to the local government council chairman and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), but the traders persisted, prompting the state government’s decisive intervention.