MUST READ: Abandoned And Forgotten: The Heartbreaking Reality Of Kwarhi C Primary School

Kwarhi C Primary School, nestled in a community of over 500 people in Hong LGA, Adamawa State, once stood as a beacon of hope, shaping the future of young minds. This small settlement, renowned for its role in nation-building and its historical ties to missionary education, has now been left in ruins. Home to the EYN—Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, where two significant institutions, Kulp Theological Seminary (KTS) and Comprehensive Secondary School (CSS), continue to thrive, one would expect the community’s only public primary school to be a foundation of excellence. Instead, it lies abandoned and neglected by the Adamawa State Government, forcing the children of Kwarhi to suffer in silence.

A visit to Kwarhi C Primary School reveals a devastating scene: since its inception over 40 years ago, the government built Two Classrooms and an Office. At the beginning it looks promising, little did the community know that they have been settled. This write up would not have been prompted if all the Schools in Kwarhi Tapare Ward suffered the same fate, but for some reasons, the other schools who are in the same ward (Kwarhi A primary School and Kwarhi B) have received several attention by the same Adamawa government while Kwarhi C is still lingering for existence. It came to a point that the school had only two government staff, the community must have to mobilize youths to  teach their wards. In the same vein, the community in collaboration with the PTA built Two classrooms, which is currently hosting the left children in the school.  Mistakenly, a Non-Governmental Organization built two classrooms in the school, after demolishing an already existing structure built by the community, and later discovered that they came to a wrong destination for their project.

Questions were raised as to why this School was abandoned? Many years ago, it was alleged that the government neglected the school because they referred to it as a Missionary School, because 95% of the population are Christians. But could that be  reason enough for this negligence? I do not want to believe that either.

So, could it be that the government must have actually forgotten about this school? No, because surprisingly, during our visit it was gathered that the Local Government gave over 40 Desk and some Academic material to the school which is pack in a store because there is no  enough space to utilize them. Moreover, the school that once had over hundred pupils, now have less than 30 due to the severe neglect.

How can we allow this? How can a government entrusted with the future of its children stand by while they are denied the right to a proper education? This is more than neglect—it is an injustice, a betrayal of the community and its young ones. These children, brimming with potential, are being failed by those who should uplift them. If the very foundation of their education is in ruins, what hope is there for their future? What kind of society are we building when we abandon the places meant to mold values, morals, and leadership?

The impact of this neglect is far-reaching. Pupils lose motivation, their attendance drops, and many are forced to leave, their parents seeking better opportunities elsewhere, while those left behind are the ones who cannot afford private schooling. The result is a community divided by educational inequality. The poor infrastructure fosters poor health, poor academic performance, and low self-esteem among the children. They are being asked to learn in an environment that stifles their potential and threatens their well-being.

But it is not just the pupils who suffer. Teachers, too, are struggling in this broken system. They face overwhelming stress, dwindling resources, and the daily challenge of trying to teach in a dilapidated and unhealthy environment. The workload grows, satisfaction plummets, and the passion for education dims, all because the school that should support them has been abandoned. In fact, most of the staff left behind are commuters who are still hoping that things will and have compassion and love for pupils.

It was also gathered from some newly deployed staff who were posted to the school, that the reason they agreed to come is because they were products of the school, and they do not want to see their alma mater collapse. Similar comments were mentioned especially by some volunteers who offer to help the Children’s future as they are stranded.

The consequences are dire. The risk of accidents, unsanitary conditions, and environmental hazards looms large over every school day. The school management now have to evacuate all children from the original Government built classroom because it could collapse at any moment. Now the  classrooms hosting the pupils, including the Staffroom and the Headmaster’s Office are part of the buildings built by the Community and the PTA. How much of government is now left in Kwarhi C Government Primary School? Perhaps it has been handed over to the Community and the parents.

In a Country where we claim to have equality, fairness and justice. Where is the justice for these children? Where is the accountability for those meant to oversee and safeguard their education?

This is a call to action. The Adamawa State Government cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the suffering at Kwarhi C Primary School. It is time to step up, to acknowledge this heartbreaking reality, and to address the needs of this neglected institution. The future of Kwarhi’s children depends on it. The commissioner of education must recognize this as an emergency and act swiftly. These children cannot wait any longer. Let us come together to save Kwarhi C Primary School—before it’s too late.