APPEAL TO REBUILD A PRIMARY SCHOOL: A DYING HERITAGE

Appeal To Rebuild A Primary School – A Dying Heritage

This is an SOS to save a primary school. A primary school that was once the pride of almost seven villages and still remains the only primary school that connects these villages. The name of the primary school is ANGLICAN PRIMARY SCHOOL, located at kilometre 4, Araromi road, Ibese, Yewa North, Ogun State. The school is in a state worse than a sorry state. This is a school that connects villages like: Araromi Abule Egba, Araromi Keji, Araromi Aletiroo, Araromi Ilewo, Egbo Alaparun, Egbo Olorisa and Ibese. The latter being the chief town of these villages.

I was opportuned to witness the glorious years of this primary school while I was growing up in the 80s. It used to hold its annual Inter-house Sports and other activities. It had sizeable football pitch and about four blocks of classrooms. Now the sport pitch has turned bushy, termite infested and un-useable. Many of the classrooms, some made of mud bricks and few other made of concrete blocks have collapsed to the ground. The only mud structure which part of it is still standing is evidently dilapidated and dangerous to be close to where kids are. This has made the population of the school to decline drastically. The fallen walls poise a threat to kids and teachers’ lives as they house reptiles and dangerous insects.

The only block of classroom standing now is itself dilapidated and houses Primary 1 – 6, Head teacher’s office and store. How this is managed beats my imagination the day I went there.

I started calling attention of the government to the sorry state of primary schools in Yewa North and my area in particular since 2013 on some platforms and it yielded a little result in the year 2014. This one need urgent attention and I have volunteered to offer my labour in rebuilding the school.

This appeal is to raise 20,000 USD to rebuild the almost desolated Anglican Primary School, Ibese, Yewa North, Ogun State, through direct labour by involving the youths of the community and in partnership with any body that is interested be it government's or NGO. What we intend to build include: four classrooms (two blocks housing two classrooms each), a cafeteria shed, (and a kindergarten shed if possible), sport pitch and a pit latrine. Most importantly, we also need volunteers among the donators to help in supervision and coordination of the project to ensure judicious use of the money and quality.

I have longed to make this dream a reality: to rebuild Ile-iwe Papa (Grassland School) as we fondly call it. I will be very grateful for any contribution towards achieving this dream. Thank you very much.

Yours faithfully,

Ayanbode O. Oje