IGIDE Urges Otti to Act as Criminals Hijack Abandoned Special School in Aba
IGIDE calls for immediate government intervention as criminals exploit the deserted School of Craft and Domestic Centre in Aba, Abia State, for illicit activities, emphasizing the need to refurbish the premises and provide education for out-of-school children.
Mary Nwaeze 
The Initiative for Grassroots Interventions and Development in Education (IGIDE) has raised concerns over the alarming state of an abandoned educational institution in Aba, Abia State. The School of Craft and Domestic Centre, situated on Azikiwe Road by East, has become a haven for criminal activities, according to a press release by Mrs. Eunice Egbuna, the Executive Director of IGIDE.
Egbuna highlighted the dire condition of the premises, emphasizing that the classrooms have been repurposed for unauthorized uses, such as storage by furniture makers and other businesses. Even more concerning is the revelation that the compound has been taken over by delinquents who engage in illicit activities, including drug peddling and harassment of women.
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Expressing apprehension about the potential escalation of security risks, Egbuna underscored the urgent need for government intervention to secure the premises. She stressed that if immediate action is not taken, the criminals might even vandalize essential infrastructure like the borehole.
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In a bid to salvage the situation, IGIDE proposed that the state government refurbish the abandoned school, transforming it into a functional learning environment. Furthermore, Egbuna suggested that IGIDE, in collaboration with the Abia Retired Teachers, stands ready to contribute their expertise to address the issue of out-of-school children. They aim to provide education and skills training to indigent children, thereby mitigating the risk of their involvement in antisocial behaviors in the future.
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The plight of the abandoned special school underscores the broader challenges facing educational infrastructure in Nigeria and the imperative for proactive measures to safeguard such facilities against misuse and neglect.
Governor Otti's attention has been drawn to the pressing issue, with the hope that decisive action will be taken to reclaim the abandoned school and restore it to its intended purpose of nurturing young minds and fostering community development.
