By Ismaila Jimoh, Abuja
Students of Gwagwalada Gifted School in Abuja have expressed their appreciation to the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike for the renovation of structures carried out in the school which according to them has made the school more conducive for learning.
The students expressed this while chatting with team of journalists who visited the school for the on the spot assessment of the one time dilapidated school but through the good gesture of the Minister of FCT, Wike, now wearing a new look.
Wike had visited the school to flag off a project last year when he observed that some structures are in dilapidated condition and in a surprised move announced that he would renovate the school.
Speaking with the school Head Girl, Taofeequyah Abdulrahman who couldn’t hide her excitement: “I am very happy about the renovation that has taken place in the school, if you came here before the renovation you would have seen how dilapidated the school was.
“Now the school looks appealing, from the painting to the structures, it makes one happy to actually see a gifted school.
“Now we can learn and concentrate in a conducive environment. To the Hon. Minister, Nyesom Wike, we the students are really happy and glad for the facelift you gave to our school. This has helped us a lot and it has improved our standard.”
The Head Girl, however noted: “However, we appeal to the minister to include chairs in this renovation. There are instances where two students seat on one chair because there are not enough. Some are already broken; there are instances where students fall off as the chair breaks during classes or prep.
“We also have this case of power outages, especially when we are reading at night. I think solar lamps will guarantee constant power supply, we appeal to the minister to consider these requests and add them to the improvement he has made in this school.”
Also speaking with Binuyo Dabira Goodnews, the school’s Head Boy who just returned from representing Nigeria in an international mathematics competition said: “ We sincerely want to appreciate the Minister, Nyesom Wike for what he has done in our school.
“Before the renovation, meal times in the afternoon, the over 600 students waited in the sun outside the dinning room for their food. Eventually, some students will not be served, but with the intervention of the minister, all students can now enter at the same time and get seated to be served. Now all windows in the school are well covered and fans working in the classes and in the hostels.”
Ikenta Ifechukwu Belina is the school’s Library prefect. She also expressed joy and excitement saying: “The school library today wears a new look, the paint is refreshing with clean walls, these make us feel at ease while reading. The atmosphere is now conducive for learning.”
She however, pointed to what she described as outdated books in the library. She appealed to the Minister for new and modern books as well as “Digital books and materials because we are in the digital age.”
She also noted that the school has no school bus, “we always go out for competitions, we will need a bus that can facilitate our movement for competitions,” she pleaded.
The students also requested for computers in the computer lab. “Functional computers in the lab would boost academic performance,” the students noted
Our correspondent also spoke with Mr. Bello Adams Audu, Principal, School for the Gifted, Gwagwalada who described their previous situation before the intervention of the minister as “ state of sorrow.”
He said facilities in the 30 year old school were already in a state of dilapidation before Wike’s intervention.
“ I really want to thank the minister because we were almost losing hope before his arrival. The school has been given a face lift and it is now beautiful.
Before the face lift, the roof of the staff room was almost falling, the toilets were bad. Before the renovation, you would pity the staff and students of the school because the situation was bad. That gave room for rodents and reptiles to live among us; students started going out side for open defecation and the situation affected teaching and learning. Today, we thank God, Wike has come and the story has changed. Fans in the classrooms and hostels are now working, the students are happy and are doing better academically,” he stated.
