On 21^st day of October 2024, a research visit was conducted at Ai-Famu Primary School to assess the overall conditions, educational quality, and to see the level at which the school was abandoned by government. The purpose of the visit was to get statistical justification as why we need to intervene through the Grant we seek and to provide picture evidence of the condition of the school.

BACKGROUND:

Ai-Famu Primary School is a public school located in Onwukpa ward, Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State. It caters to 4 – 13 years primary students and has a total enrollment of 218 students. The school offers a variety of educational programs and extracurricular activities to enhance the learning experience of its students.

OBSERVATIONS:

During the monitoring visit, several key aspects of the school were observed and assessed:

1. Infrastructure and Facilities:

The school’s infrastructure and facilities were found to be in an abandoned state and not conducive to learning. Classrooms were in shambles, the roofs, windows, and doors are worn-out, the floors are so rough, the school lacks necessary instructional materials, and the school premises were cleaned. There is an abandoned non-functional solar-powered water borehole system within the school premises. The toilet facilities are uncompleted, open with no roof and doors, covered with bushes and unsafe for use.

2. Teaching and Learning:

As at the time of my visit, I found children under the tree on bench learning, since the classroom are not conducive for learning. Some of the students were found without uniforms, some other sets of students were seated and learning in an uncompleted structure known to be a church close to the school premises.  Although the teachers demonstrated a good understanding of the curriculum and were actively involved in student assessment and feedback.

3. Student Behavior and Discipline:

The behavior of students in the school was observed to be disciplined and respectful. The school has a well-defined code of conduct in place, which is enforced consistently by the staff.

4. Compliance with Regulations:

The school was found to be compliant with the regulations set by the education board. The school’s policies and procedures were up-to-date and aligned with the required standards.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Based on the observations made during the study visit, the following recommendations are suggested for further improvement:

1. Continuous Professional Development: Encourage teachers to participate in ongoing professional development programs to enhance their teaching skills and keep up-to-date with educational trends.

2. Student Engagement: Implement strategies to further enhance student engagement in the learning process, such as interactive teaching methods and extracurricular activities.

3. Parental Involvement: Encourage greater involvement of parents in the school community through regular communication, meetings, and involvement in school activities.
4. The school structure needs a total renovation and erecting one or two more structures to provide students with conducive learning environment.
5. Children needs to be provided with necessary learning materials and uniform so as to encourage them to learn and also serve as a push for other children who are not impressed about going to school.
6. The school needs a functional library, desk and chairs, conducive staff room, computer lab, better toilet facilities and teaching aids to enhance learning.