Ekiti demolishes dilapidated public school buildings.

The Ekiti State Government has begun the demolition of dilapidated and sub-standard buildings in the 532 primary schools across the 16 local government areas of the state.

The measure, according to government, was necessary because some of the dilapidated structures in the schools had become death traps for the students and hideouts for criminals.

The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof Femi Akinwumi, spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, while flagging off the demolition exercise at Mount Mary Nursery/Primary School, Oke Ila, Ado Ekiti.

Akinwumi said the demolition exercise was specifically conceptualised by the Governor Kayode Fayemi-led government to give way for the construction of new buildings across the primary schools in the state.

The SUBEB boss added that some of the structures were constructed during the pre-colonial days dated back to 1920, making them outdated for the new age era.

“Under this programme, all mud and substandard blocks must go down. We have to checkmate all the miscreants that are using those dilapidated buildings in all our primary schools as hideouts, because we are aware some people used these places as abode.

“Presently, we are training about 761 new teachers, which was a follow up to over 2,700 teachers that had been trained in 2020. We are giving conducive environment and really enhancing the capacities of our personnel.

“As professionals, we knew the importance and role good environments play in performances. It is a good variable in the performances of students in any examination.

“With this demolition and construction of new buildings, pupils can move around and enjoy the aesthetic environment we are going to provide without fear of attacks by hoodlums. They will also enjoy the beauty”.