Shinkafi, Zamfara State
A disturbing report has revealed the deplorable learning conditions at the LEA Primary School in Shanawa, Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, where pupils are forced to sit on mats and bare floors during lessons due to a lack of furniture and proper facilities.
According to a statement by the Monitoring Initiative for Transparency in Governance (MonITNG), the school’s infrastructure has deteriorated severely, with classrooms lacking desks, chairs, and windows, leaving students and teachers to operate in unsafe and unhygienic environments.
The group described the situation as “a painful reminder of government failure,” accusing the chairman of the Zamfara State Universal Basic Education Board (ZSUBEB), Professor Nasir Garba Anka, of neglect and failure to provide solutions.
MonITNG expressed concern that despite the state government’s substantial education budgets — ₦79.6 billion in 2025 and ₦51.3 billion in 2024 — as well as interventions from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), little progress has been made in improving the welfare of pupils in public schools.
“With such huge investments, why are children still sitting on mats and bare floors in dilapidated classrooms?” the group queried.
The organization dismissed claims that the poor condition of the school was due to vandalism, insisting that the real cause lies in “failed leadership, lack of accountability, and misplaced priorities.”
MonITNG called on the Zamfara State Government to take immediate steps to renovate the school, provide adequate furniture, and ensure that allocated funds for education are properly utilized.
“Education is not a privilege — it is a right,” the statement concluded. “The state must act urgently to restore dignity to its schools and hope to its children.”
The report adds to growing public concern over the state of education in Zamfara and across Nigeria, where many schools continue to struggle with decaying infrastructure and poor learning conditions despite large budgetary allocations.
Source: Sahara Reporters
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