Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Henry Owen
In Ibwa Ward, Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, pupils of Junior Secondary School Gurfata now face an educational crisis with far-reaching consequences for their futures. Once the sole secondary school serving this burgeoning community, the institution has been ravaged by neglect and now stands on the brink of collapse. A recent destructive windstorm ripped through the already fragile classrooms, rendering them unsafe and unusable. With no functional learning spaces left, administrators have been forced to turn away new Junior Secondary 1 (JS1) students, leaving dozens of children – who should be starting a new academic year – without access to basic education.
The situation in Gurfata starkly illustrates the challenge facing many public schools in the FCT where, despite government assurances of widespread rehabilitation projects, children in pockets of rural and peri-urban communities are being left behind. Research and reports from across the territory have highlighted stark disparities in infrastructure between urban and less-connected communities. Many schools in these areas suffer from dilapidated buildings, overcrowded classrooms, and poor facilities, with insufficient toilets, potable water and safe learning environments – all of which have been shown to negatively impact attendance, academic performance and retention of students.
Residents and parents in Gurfata have decried what they describe as systemic neglect by both the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and their elected representatives. According to community members, efforts to draw attention to the school’s plight have repeatedly fallen on deaf ears, with months passing since initial reports of dilapidation without substantive intervention. What was once a hub of learning for hundreds of children is now crippled, forcing families to choose between sending their children to far-off schools or keeping them at home – a decision that jeopardises the educational and social development of an entire generation.
Critics point to the FCT government’s public pronouncements about school renovation projects that appear to bypass communities like Gurfata. Over recent years, the FCTA has announced ambitious plans to overhaul public education infrastructure, including rehabilitation programmes covering dozens of schools, with claims that many institutions across the territory are undergoing refurbishment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.” The FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has publicly stated that scores of secondary schools are being renovated, and that hundreds more are slated for upgrades as part of comprehensive investment in education. Yet for residents here, these assurances ring hollow, as mounting decay and inaction have so far outpaced official interventions.
The crisis has left families in Gurfata feeling abandoned, particularly as political leaders and officials make high-profile trips and appearances elsewhere. Some parents have pointed to images of senior government officials attending international events, contrasting these with the stark reality of children unable to enter a classroom. Regardless of political justification or budget allocations, the palpable absence of tangible support for schools like JSS Gurfata has intensified local frustration.
Calls for accountability have also been directed at Senator Ireti Kingibe, the lawmaker representing the FCT, who critics say has failed to leverage her influence to advocate for urgently needed educational infrastructure in her constituency. Local voices assert that beyond political rhetoric, there has been little substantive engagement to secure funding, repairs, or even temporary learning structures that could keep classrooms open while permanent solutions are planned and executed.
The implications of the school’s shutdown extend beyond Gurfata’s borders. Education experts warn that when public schools in marginalised communities deteriorate, ripple effects are felt across social development indicators. Children forced out of school early are more likely to be drawn into child labour, early marriage or other risky activities, further entrenching cycles of poverty. This is particularly concerning in areas like Gwagwalada, which straddle rapidly growing urban fringes and under-served rural hinterlands.
The persistence of such crises amid proclaimed infrastructure investments has drawn broader criticism of education planning and governance in the FCT. Advocacy groups and education stakeholders argue that rehabilitation initiatives often focus on urban hubs and flagship institutions, while ignoring schools that serve indigenous communities and low-income families. They contend that true educational reform requires equitable distribution of resources, transparent prioritisation that reflects local needs, and direct engagement with communities most affected by neglect.
Beyond immediate infrastructure repairs, experts emphasise the need for holistic support systems. These include recruitment and retention of qualified teachers, provision of adequate learning materials, and establishment of safe sanitation facilities – all essential to delivering quality education and meeting national and international standards. In rural and peri-urban contexts within the FCT, the absence of such elements has repeatedly been linked to higher absenteeism rates, lower academic outcomes and widening gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students.
For now, the children of Gurfata remain sidelined, watching from their homes as the academic year progresses without them. What was once a place of learning and promise has become a symbol of forgotten commitments and unfulfilled pledges. Without urgent and sustained action from government authorities and political representatives, this community’s children risk being condemned not just to a season out of school, but a future narrowed by missed opportunities.
The question now facing education authorities and policymakers is clear: will promises of renovation and improved school infrastructure translate into real, measurable outcomes for all communities – including those on the margins? Until that question is answered with tangible action, schools like Junior Secondary School Gurfata will remain landmarks of neglect rather than beacons of hope for the next generation.
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