Diphtheria Scare in Edo State: Calls for School Closure Amid Rising Cases

That situation at Community Secondary School, Awotan-Orisun is deeply troubling. Overcrowding more than 150 students in one classroom is not only unsafe, it severely hinders effective learning. The lack of basic infrastructure — like plastered walls, windows, and doors — creates an environment that's physically and mentally unfit for education.
This kind of condition not only affects students’ academic performance but also puts them at risk of health issues and accidents, especially if the building is near collapse. It's a clear call for urgent intervention from local authorities, the Ministry of Education, and possibly NGOs focused on education and youth welfare.
According to the civic tech platform Monitng, the school’s infrastructure is in a critical state, with classrooms reportedly “crumbling, unplastered, unsanitary, missing windows and doors, and dangerously close to collapse.”
Despite significant allocations to Oyo State’s education budget, hazardous learning conditions persist.
“Children in this community are forced to learn in unsafe and overcrowded environments. This is unacceptable and demands immediate action from the Oyo State Government, the Ido Local Government Authority, and the Ministry of Education,” a concerned resident said.
The overcrowding has led to a student-teacher ratio of about 150 to 1, drastically undermining the quality of education.
Despite increased education budgets—₦58.2 billion in 2023, ₦60.2 billion in 2024, and a proposed ₦66.4 billion for 2025—Community Secondary School Awotan-Orisun remains neglected.
A civic watchdog highlighted that Oyo State also benefits from the World Bank-funded Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) program, which has contributed over $6 million (₦5.4 billion) to boost basic education.
“Yet, despite these investments and the state’s claims of school retention projects across 175 schools, Community Secondary School Awotan-Orisun has seen no improvement,” the group stated in a post on X.
The lack of action has triggered public outcry, with growing demands for Governor Seyi Makinde and relevant authorities to intervene and upgrade the school’s conditions.
“No child should be left behind. Every student in Oyo State deserves a safe, clean, and supportive learning environment,” Monitng added.
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