Pupils Attend Classrooms Without Roofs In Jigawa Communities

For about 450 pupils at Kudai Gidan Malam Shehu Primary School in Dutse, Jigawa State, the gap between government spending and classroom reality is visible overhead: exposed roof timbers, broken ceiling boards and gaps that let in sunlight and rain.

While the state budgeted N24.65 billion for basic school infrastructure in 2026, it spent just N2.09 billion, or 8.5 per cent, in the first six months of the year, leaving more than N22.56 billion unspent as children in Kudai and other communities continue to learn in dilapidated classrooms.

Findings by THE WHISTLER indicate that most classroom blocks in Jigawa are severely dilapidated, leaving about hundreds of pupils struggling to learn without adequate desks and chairs.

The situation persists as Jigawa State struggles to translate its budgetary commitments to basic school infrastructure into improvements for pupils in communities affected by deteriorating facilities.

An analysis of the state’s 2026 first-half budget implementation reports shows that Jigawa spent about N2.09bn on basic school infrastructure between January and June, representing just 8.5 per cent of the N24.65bn budgeted for the programme.

The figures raise questions about the pace of infrastructure spending and whether neglected schools are receiving the attention needed to provide safe and conducive learning environments.

Under the programme tagged “Adequate infrastructure at all levels”, Jigawa budgeted N24.65 billion for basic education infrastructure but recorded cumulative expenditure of approximately N2.086bn by the end of June.

This left about N22.56bn unspent during the first half of the year.

The state’s first-quarter expenditure stood at N1.495 billion, representing 6.1 per cent of the annual allocation. A further N590.9m was spent in the second quarter.

Although spending continued between April and June, the cumulative expenditure remained a small proportion of the approved budget, leaving much of the planned infrastructure funding yet to be utilised.

The slow pace of expenditure contrasts with the conditions documented at Kudai Gidan Malam Shehu Primary School and complaints from other communities about damaged classrooms and inadequate learning facilities.

In Barandau, residents have appealed to the government to renovate deteriorating classrooms and improve the learning environment.

Yusuf Yaro told THE WHISTLER that the appeal was not about politics but about the safety and future of children who depend on public education.

A similar appeal has emerged from Agamo Primary School in Auyo Local Government Area, where Isah Muhammad, a concerned citizen, has called for urgent government intervention.

Muhammad said no teacher was present when photographs were taken at about 9 a.m. He also relayed complaints from community members that teachers did not report to the school consistently.

THE WHISTLER could not independently verify the allegation of persistent teacher absenteeism.

The budget implementation report shows that some of the first-quarter infrastructure spending went to projects under the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The state spent N507.4 million on a project to renovate 1,010 classrooms against a budget of N5.30 billion. Another N360 million was spent on the renovation of 750 classrooms, against an allocation of N2.99 billion.

For the construction of 321 new classrooms, the report recorded expenditure of N334.4 million against a budget of N3 billion.

Low spending raises questions over implementation

Aminu Umar, a Kano state budget analyst said Jigawa’s expenditure of just 8.5 per cent of its basic school infrastructure budget in the first half of 2026 raises concerns about the pace of project implementation and whether funds are reaching schools with the most urgent needs.

While low spending may reflect delayed fund releases, procurement bottlenecks or slow project execution, the government needs to explain the reasons for the gap and provide evidence of completed projects.

The continued deterioration of classrooms in Kudai, Barandau and Agamo underscores the need for transparent project monitoring, timely repairs and accountability to ensure that budgetary allocations translate into safe learning environments for pupils.

For pupils, the central concern remains whether government funding will result in tangible improvements to their learning environment.

Classrooms with damaged roofs expose pupils and learning materials to rain and intense sunlight, potentially disrupting lessons and making concentration difficult. The shortage of desks and chairs further compounds the challenges faced by children attending the schools.

Residents fear that prolonged neglect could discourage attendance and deprive pupils of valuable learning time, particularly as the 2026/2027 academic session gets underway.

The infrastructure problems also come amid wider concerns about basic education in Jigawa, including teacher shortages and poor foundational learning outcomes.

For the children learning beneath exposed roof timbers, the test of government commitment is not the size of the budget but whether the money translates into safe classrooms, adequate furniture and a school environment fit for learning.