Students stranded as traders ‘convert’ classrooms to market in Bauchi

Alkaleri Central Primary School premises, Alkaleri local government 

By Rauf Oyewole

Buying and selling of farm produce has taken over the Alkaleri Central Primary School while both learners and teachers struggle to find conducive learning space. 

Established over 84 years ago, the Primary School has slipped into place of selling of farm produce as the popular Alkaleri Sunday market holds within the fenceless premises and classrooms of the school.

Our Correspondent observed that farmers and traders convey their goods to the ‘market’ two days ahead of the market day, burgle the classes to keep their goods. Also, buyers who cannot transport their goods immediately move them to various classes while leaving heaps of grains in the premises.

Administrative blocks of school are not spared as grains were seen covering the entrance of the principal. One of the teachers said that some of the traders broke into the staff room to pick their marker pen.

“The market activities are really taking over school activities. We have to clean up the mess –first thing on Monday morning since the market day is on Sundays. Our facilities are being overstretched. Toilet facilities are broken, water and pupils' extra curriculum playing facilities are being vandalised.

“They defecate around the classroom windows and the odor is disturbing. In fact, most of our furniture is gone. Students now sit on the floor,” one of the workers said.

Alkaleri local government according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has the highest number of out-of-school children in Bauchi, although the Ministry of Education said that it has reduced the number by 50 percent.

An education expert, Abubakar Usman while speaking on the condition of Alkaleri Central Primary School, said that there is no reason the government could not separate the market and build a perimeter fence and stop the encroachment of the school. 

“There is no way proper school learning can take place in the marketplace. They are two different things. That is to tell you that the school is polluted and requires urgent attention.

“The market has been obstructing the school for a very long time and it seems like the authority’s hands are tied. They cannot stop the encroachment while the pupils keep suffering. We are just pretending to be giving education, the question is, which type of education are we giving in this condition?"