Students of Basden Memorial Special Education Centre, which serves the blind, deaf, and dumb in Isulo, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, have appealed to the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to provide the school with electricity. In addition, they complained that the school lacked other basic social amenities, particularly potable water, which left them in discomfort. The students, most of whom have physical challenges, urged the state government to come to their aid, given the school’s years of abandonment and neglect, while they appealed for their safety, with dangerous animals creeping into the school environment.
Concerned indigenes of the community were on a tour of the school when the students made the plea on Monday. Speaking on behalf of the pupils anonymously, one of the students called on the governor to provide teaching aids, noting that Basden was a school for children with special needs requiring such materials to enhance and facilitate the learning process.
In response to the students’ appeal, the state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, stated that various “special needs” schools in Anambra State were already undergoing repositioning by the state government. While addressing the recurrent challenges faced by schools, Chuma-Udeh revealed that the education ministry had submitted a memo to Soludo for a solar system repair project. She also pointed out the government’s ongoing work on various projects in different special schools in the state.
The commissioner reassured citizens that these challenges would be gradually addressed. She disclosed that they reconstructed the school toilets and fixed its pumping machine to provide water to the school. She added that the governor takes an interest in these matters and everyone’s affairs in the special schools in the area.
