By Cmrd. Abel Y. Hayas,
What was once a functioning educational institution has deteriorated into a hazardous site, with collapsed roofs, abandoned construction, and the systematic removal of environmental infrastructure that previously sustained the school’s operations.
Photographic evidence obtained from LEA Primary School, Takau Sabon Gari, Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, reveals a facility in critical disrepair. Multiple classroom blocks have suffered partial or total roof collapse, with corrugated iron sheets and wooden support beams lying in disarray. Interior shots show exposed steel trusses, gaping holes in roofing, and water damaged floors conditions that render the spaces unusable during rainfall and unsafe under direct sun.
Environmental Stripping Accelerates Decay
A significant factor in the school’s decline has been the cutting down of trees that stand in as windbreaker to the school structure. Hayas note that such tree cover serves multiple functions in tropical educational settings: temperature regulation, soil stabilization, erosion prevention, and psychological benefits for students.
“The absence of vegetative cover in this climate creates a compounding effect,” Hayas reviewed that, “Direct exposure to sun and rain accelerates building deterioration while simultaneously making the learning environment physically unbearable for students.”
Partial roof loss, weathered walls, flooded courtyard, Complete roof collapse with debris scattered across grounds, Brick walls standing without roofs or windows, indicating abandoned building projects
Interior damage: Multiple classrooms with exposed ceilings, water infiltration, and deteriorated flooring
Educational Impact
The school’s current condition raises serious questions about its operational status. Hayas indicates that teaching continues in limited areas, but students are exposed to unsafe conditions during adverse weather. The removal of shade trees has reportedly made outdoor activities and break periods increasingly difficult, particularly during peak dry season temperatures.
Local education officials have not responded to requests for comment on planned interventions. Community members express growing concern that without immediate rehabilitation, the institution faces total abandonment.
A Pattern of Neglect?
The situation at LEA Primary School, Takau sabon gari mirrors broader challenges facing rural educational infrastructure in the region, where environmental degradation and maintenance failures converge to compromise learning outcomes. The case underscores the interdependence of built infrastructure and natural systems in sustaining educational environments.
By Cmrd. Abel Y. Hayas,
Head of Environment Climate Change and Mitigation,
NACCIMA Youth Entrepreneur (NYE)
Kaduna State Charter
