Primary and secondary schools across Bauchi State are crumbling under the weight of severe teacher shortages and poor infrastructure, leaving students with little hope for quality education.
An investigation into the situation reveals alarming neglect by the state government, exacerbating the challenges faced by educators and learners alike.
In Mararaban Liman Katagum, a remote community in Bauchi Local Government, 14-year-old Musa Ahmad sits on the dusty floor of a classroom at Government Junior Secondary School (GJSS) Mararaba, struggling to grasp algebraic equations. His teacher, Abdullahi (name withheld for fear of reprisal), admitted he had no background in mathematics but was forced to teach it due to the dire lack of qualified staff.
“I haven’t studied mathematics,” Abdullahi confessed. “But I have to teach it. What choice do I have? The students need a teacher, and there’s no one else.”
At GJSS Mararaba, only nine teachers are officially assigned to handle over 300 students, despite the school needing at least 25 educators to function properly. Nepotism and resource shortages further complicate the situation. “Some teachers come when they feel like it because they’re connected to powerful people,” Abdullahi lamented. “Meanwhile, qualified graduates in the community are jobless while our classrooms remain underserved.”
The teacher deficit is not limited to Mararaba. In Dass Local Government, Husaini Wandi, the administrative officer at GJSS Wandi, revealed a similar predicament. “Out of 12 teachers, we have four for Islamic studies and none for mathematics, a core subject,” he said. “English is being taught by a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, and we rely on one Physical Health Education teacher for over 200 students.”
Many schools across the state are locked and deserted due to the lack of teachers. A visit to Zankam Primary School in Giade revealed no staff present, while Abbakorawa village’s primary school relies on just two teachers, one of whom travels infrequently. “If children come to school and don’t find a teacher, they may not return for the rest of the week,” said Malam Muhammadu, a community elder.
The shortage is compounded by inadequate infrastructure, with teachers often buying supplies like registers and chalk from their meager salaries. “Every week, we contribute to buying chalk,” Wandi said. “The government hasn’t recruited new teachers since 2014.”
Students like 16-year-old Aisha Sagir in Misau are bearing the brunt of the crisis. “Our teacher doesn’t understand some topics,” Aisha said. “We have to figure things out ourselves.”
In 2023, the state government acknowledged that 79 schools in Misau LGA alone had only one teacher each. Despite recognizing the problem, little has been done to address it, leaving a generation of students at risk of academic failure and limited opportunities.
As the education system in Bauchi State deteriorates further, the question remains: how long will the government turn a blind eye to the plight of its schools and students?
