Dan Shayi Village, located in the Rimin Gado Local Government Area of Kano State, is grappling with a severe educational crisis as its only primary school faces significant infrastructural challenges.
The school’s condition is deteriorating, with students currently forced to sit on the floor due to a lack of chairs and desks. Over the years, neglect stemming from underfunding and understaffing has led to the dilapidation of all classrooms. Pupils now sit on bare floors in classrooms marked by cracked walls and damaged roofs.
The school lacks a nursery section, the deteriorating infrastructure and inadequate learning provisions have led to a decline in enrollment, with many parents withdrawing their children from the school due to concerns about the safety of the remaining classrooms.
In 2022, UNESCO reported that Nigeria’s out-of-school children had reached 20 million. While current figures specific to Kano State are unavailable, past records indicated that up to 989,234 children in the state were out of school.
Since 2014, the poor state of the school has been a major concern. Despite efforts by the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), led by Alhaji Umar Abdullahi, to renovate the facility, progress has been slow.
Ibrahim Abdullahi, a 58-year-old farmer from Dan Shayi, expressed his concern for his children’s education and decided to transfer them to a school in Yalwan Danziyal, a neighboring community, due to fears of the school collapsing. The journey to Yalwan Danziyal takes up to 30 minutes by motorcycle.
“The community has been maintaining the school infrastructure to ensure it remains safe for the pupils. We used to contribute money through the PTA to patch walls, repair roofs, and provide mats,” Abdullahi said. “However, the decay has worsened to a point where we can no longer afford repairs. I withdrew my children because the classrooms could collapse at any time, and there is no safe place for the pupils during rain.”
Local leaders and residents, including the ward head, Bala Sani, have expressed their concerns. Alhaji Musa stated, “The education of our children is vital for our village’s future. Seeing them sit on the floor is distressing. We have appealed to various authorities for assistance.”
Resident Malam Abdullahi Tijjani added, “Education is crucial for progress, and it is painful to see our children deprived of basic learning conditions. While the PTA’s efforts are commendable, we urgently need more support from the government and concerned individuals.”
A staff member, speaking anonymously, emphasized the need for urgent action, saying, “Our children deserve better. It is time for the relevant authorities to address this issue and provide the necessary support to improve Dan Shayi Primary School.”
