The Lagos State Ministry of Education has supplied 100 desks and chairs each to some public schools in the state.
The schools were identified in a series of Saturday PUNCH investigation which exposed the fact that the pupils were learning sitting on the floor and window because there were no furniture for them.
Following the public outcry that greeted the story, the state government supplied the chairs, though the said number may still not go round the pupils.
The schools are Ikeja Grammar School, Bolade, Oshodi, Iloro Grammar School, Agege, Ewutuntun Grammar School, Mafoluku and Fagba Junior Grammar School, Iju Road.
As a fallout of the publication, titled, “Lagos schools where pupils learn sitting on the bare floor,” the Lagos State Government ordered the suspension of a principal of one of the schools wondering how the correspondent gained entrance into the schools and took photographs.
However, two days after Saturday PUNCH reported the principal’s suspension, the state government reinstated her.
Following the publications, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, promised that the government would take action on the issue to provide succour to the pupils.
Subsequently, Saturday PUNCH checks confirmed that 100 desks and chairs were supplied to Ikeja Grammar School, Bolade, last week Wednesday.
When our correspondent visited Ikeja Grammar School to see if the pupils had started using the furniture, it was observed that the school had yet to distribute the chairs to the classes.
This was the situation in the other schools.
However, a teacher at IGS told our correspondent that the furniture should be distributed to the affected classes when schools resumed from the Christmas holidays.
“At least our principal did not suffer for nothing because it seemed she was the one who carried the blame for your publication,” the teacher, who pleaded anonymity, said.
Also, the Chairman, IGS Parents’ Forum, Mr. Yisa Moshood, confirmed the delivery of the furniture in the school.
He said, “They have supplied the furniture. Thank you for your effort.
“I have spoken to the principal on how it could be maintained to ensure the chairs last long.”
At Fagba Grammar School, our correspondent did not see any new furniture in the classes where pupils had previously been sitting on the floor.
A pupil, however confirmed that he had seen chairs being brought into the school but added that they had not been distributed.
A security man at the school explained that furniture were brought in last week, the same period that of IGS were brought delivered.
Saturday PUNCH got the same confirmation at Iloro Grammar School, where a female pupil of junior class one, said her father was already planning to construct a chair for her.
“I told my dad that the government had brought chairs and desks for us. I told him he should not worry about getting me a chair.” the girl told this correspondent.
A spokesperson of the ministry, Mr. Jide Lawal, spoke with our correspondent on telephone on behalf of the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye.
He said the ministry would supply the furniture across the state.
“It is a continuous thing, it is not just schools that you identified in your publications that will be focused on,” Lawal said.
Asked whether the ministry had put in place a system by which the maintenance of school furniture could be monitored, he said maintenance was a challenge, adding that the pupils share part of the blame in the damage of furniture in schools.
“Some of the pictures you took in the schools showed clearly that some of the furniture were probably damaged by the pupils themselves.
“That is a challenge. We have furniture,” he stated.
The public outcry expressed on PUNCH website showed the shock of the public on the state of the schools following our stories.
A reader, Matthew Keyh, in his comments stated, “This is totally unacceptable. What is the Lagos State Government doing with the $90m World Bank aid to improve education in Lagos. The idea of suspending the principal is completely out of order!”
Another reader, Abiola, said, “My dear Governor Fashola, this problem of furniture is a real one; one that is beyond buck-passing and scape-goating; one affecting the future generation.”
Another reader suggested that children of public office holders made to attend public schools. “This should be made a policy,” the reader, who identified himself simply as Sola, said.
Copyright PUNCH.
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