Parents under the aegis of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) have expressed deep dissatisfaction with the state of facilities in Unity Colleges across the country.
Their concerns follow the visit of the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to King’s College, Lagos, yesterday, where it was revealed that the school had been without electricity for months, reports Vanguard.
Speaking on the situation, the National President of NAPTAN, Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, lamented that if King’s College—one of the country’s elite Unity Colleges—could be in such poor condition, the state of other colleges could only be imagined.
“We have consistently called for greater attention to education in Nigeria. No nation can develop beyond the standard of its education system. If Unity Colleges, which are considered special schools, are in such a deplorable state, what should we expect in other public schools?” Danjuma said.
“A visit to any public school would reveal overcrowded classrooms, broken and insufficient furniture, and a general lack of basic facilities. The shortage of teachers is another major issue, with many PTAs stepping in to hire staff to bridge the gap. The poor state of infrastructure affects not only students but also their teachers and overall learning conditions.”
Danjuma urged the government to prioritise improvements in the education sector. While he acknowledged some ongoing efforts, he emphasized that more needs to be done.
“The food provided to students in hostels is not good enough. We also call on state governments to work collaboratively with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to ensure adequate funding for education projects, including fulfilling their counterpart funding obligations.”
He further advised the management of Unity Colleges to ensure the judicious use of allocated funds to improve school facilities and enhance the learning environment.
