LAF Founder Appeals for Urgent Renovation of Neglected Ogbere School
The Founder of the Louis Awode Foundation (LAF), Louis Awode, has made a heartfelt appeal to the Ogun State government and relevant authorities to urgently renovate St. Mary's Catholic School in Ogbere, a community located within the Ijebu-East Local Council of the state. As an alumnus of the school, Awode expressed deep concern over the appalling learning conditions faced by pupils, who are forced to study in environments that are starkly unfit for education.
Deplorable Learning Conditions Highlighted
Awode lamented that while children in other parts of Nigeria benefit from state-of-the-art classrooms and conducive learning environments, pupils at St. Mary's Catholic School endure severe hardships. He described scenes of leaky rooms, cracked walls, and broken classroom furniture, where students sit before blackboards as teachers scribble with white chalk. He emphasized that quality education is a fundamental right for every child, regardless of their socioeconomic background.
The current state of this school exposes the alarming gap between the educational experiences of children from affluent families and those from underserved communities, Awode stated. He noted that many parents, unable to afford private schooling due to the rising cost of living across Nigeria, have no choice but to send their children to such dilapidated facilities. It was painful seeing the school in such a deplorable condition, he added, stressing that primary education is a critical foundation for defining children's futures and should not be neglected.
A National Emergency in Education
Awode framed the issue as not merely a local problem but a national emergency affecting many schools across Nigeria. Reflecting on his own childhood, he shared that his parents could not afford private education, a reality that resonates with countless families today. This personal experience inspired him to establish LAF, an organization dedicated to improving access to basic amenities and facilities for underprivileged Nigerians in underserved communities.
A teacher at the school, who requested anonymity, corroborated Awode's concerns, attributing the poor condition to long-term government neglect. The teacher revealed that pupils attend classes in buildings constructed during the colonial era, with some structures still in use despite being nearly dilapidated. There are a lot of challenges in this school because for many years the government has neglected the school in terms of buildings, the teacher said, highlighting issues such as old mud buildings and block classrooms in need of extensive repairs, including doors and windows.
The call to action underscores the urgent need for intervention to ensure that all children in Ogun State and beyond have access to safe and quality educational environments, as advocated by the Louis Awode Foundation.
