In Niger State, thousands of children are being forced to learn under trees, on bare floors, or inside crumbling buildings — a reality that starkly contrasts with the billions of naira supposedly pumped into the state’s education sector over the years.
A civic tech group, Monitng, has sounded the alarm over the heartbreaking state of two public schools in Rafi Local Government Area — UBE Primary School in Gimi and Mamman Kontagora Technical School in Pandogari. According to the group, what they found wasn’t just neglect — it was “a direct assault on opportunity, dignity, and the right to education.”
When Monitng visited the schools, the scenes were shocking. In Gimi, children sat on the dusty ground or gathered under trees, trying to shield themselves from the sun. The two existing classroom blocks had been destroyed by a windstorm three years ago, yet no one has rebuilt them. There were no desks, no blackboards, no roofs — nothing to make learning possible. Many of the over 5,000 pupils have dropped out entirely, unable to endure the harsh conditions.
The Gimi community hasn’t stayed silent. They’ve sent letters, petitions, and pleas to lawmakers in both the Niger State House of Assembly and the National Assembly — but each cry for help has been met with silence.
The story is no different at Mamman Kontagora Technical School in Pandogari. Roofs have caved in, walls have crumbled, and students huddle under trees to take lessons. The group says this decay has persisted for over a decade, despite repeated calls for intervention.
What makes this more infuriating is the fact that Niger State has received huge sums of federal and international funding for education — including over ₦250 billion from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) — meant for renovating schools, providing learning materials, and training teachers. International donors like UNICEF, DFID, USAID, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), and the World Bank have also sent millions of dollars in support. Yet, for rural communities like Gimi and Pandogari, these funds seem invisible.
Monitng is now urging Governor Umar Bago to declare a state of emergency in the education sector. For them, this is no longer just neglect — it’s a crisis threatening the future of thousands of children.
“The future of Niger State depends on the quality of education we give our children today,” the group said. “Technical schools like this are crucial for building a skilled workforce. This abandonment is unacceptable. The time to act is now.”
