Hoodlums have raided Practising Primary Schools in Emene, Enugu East Local Government Area, stealing at least 50 windows and dozens of customized chairs from classrooms.
The schools—Practising School 1 to 4—are located along Old Abakaliki Road beside St. Joseph Catholic Parish and serve more than 1,200 pupils. They were renovated in 2020 under former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration after reports of infrastructural decay. But despite the facelift, the complex remains unfenced, exposing it to vandals and even mentally ill persons who now use the premises as shelter.
School heads and the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) reportedly sought help from the Emene neighbourhood watch group, but were turned down after being asked to provide bullets and money for logistics. Efforts to secure the support of the traditional ruler of Emene Community also failed, with the monarch insisting that government—not the community—should handle security.
The lack of protection has left the schools badly exposed. Sources told SaharaReporters that during the long vacation, hoodlums exploited the situation, carting away windows and previously stealing hundreds of school chairs. Photos from the scene showed classrooms stripped of windows, with many others shattered.
The PTA lamented that schools are barred from collecting significant levies from parents, aside from a N500 PTA fee, which is grossly inadequate to cover private security. Hiring guards would cost at least N80,000 monthly, while government subventions such as the N25,000 termly running allowance have been stopped under the current administration.
The development underscores the vulnerability of public schools in Enugu State, where lack of funding and security has left vital infrastructure at the mercy of vandals. Attempts to reach the Chairman of the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB), Dr. Hyginus Okibe, were unsuccessful as of press time.
