Walls Collapsing, Futures Crumbling: Inside Munkari’s Dying UBE -By Aliyu Baba Mohammed

UBE Primary School in Munkari Village, Kauru District in Kauru LGA, has become completely dilapidated as community appeals for reconstruction. It has reached a state of total dilapidation and urgently needs renovation or complete reconstruction.

The school, which falls under the Kauru Local Government Education Authority in Kaduna State, joins a growing list of rural educational facilities that Aliyu has reported as collapsing across the state.

Ya’u Yakubu, Chairman of the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC), has called on the government and relevant authorities to intervene as the situation has completely become untenable for the pupils and teachers.

The Pattern Continues
Munkari Primary School is not an isolated case. Dawn Herald has recently featured several dilapidated schools in rural Kaduna State, including Central Primary School Kauru, schools in Kubau, Ikara, and Makarfi local government areas.

The pattern is disturbingly consistent. Rural communities have schools that are either collapsing or have already collapsed, while urban areas receive the bulk of renovation attention. The result is a two-tier education system where a child’s location determines whether they learn in safe buildings or dangerous ruins.

In Munkari’s case, the “UBE” in the school’s name stands for Universal Basic Education, a federal government programme meant to guarantee quality primary education for all Nigerian children. However, the irony is painful! A school bearing the UBE name has become so dilapidated that it contradicts everything the Universal Basic Education programme claims to stand for.

What Dilapidation Means for Children
When schools reach this level of deterioration, the consequences go beyond uncomfortable classrooms. Dilapidated buildings pose real dangers to children and teachers. Cracked walls can collapse at any time, damaged roofs leak during rain, forcing classes to stop, while broken windows expose students to harsh weather and security risks.

Beyond physical danger, dilapidated schools send a psychological message to rural children: you do not matter, your education is not worth investing in, and your future is not a priority. These messages shape how children see themselves and their possibilities in life.
Teachers also suffer. Working in collapsing buildings is demoralizing and dangerous. Many qualified teachers avoid posting to rural schools specifically because of poor infrastructure or working environment. This creates a vicious cycle where rural schools have both bad buildings and fewer qualified teachers.

The Call for Action
Ya’u Yakubu, as SBMC Chairman, represents the voice of the Munkari community. His appeal to the government is straightforward: renovate or reconstruct this school so children can learn safely/effectively.

Therefore, the community is not asking for something luxurious. They are asking for basic infrastructure that meets minimum safety and educational standards. Walls that do not crack, roofs that do not leak, and classrooms that protect children from the bad elements or weather. This is the barest minimum any government should provide, yet in Munkari and countless other rural communities, even this minimum remains unmet.

Who Should Respond?
Several levels of government bear responsibility for Munkari Primary School’s condition.

The Kauru Local Government Education Authority has direct oversight of the school. They should immediately assess the damage and either begin repairs or escalate the matter to the state level if the reconstruction needed exceeds local government capacity.

The Kauru Local Government Chairman, Hon. Bashir Yanko Tanko Dawaki, should prioritize education infrastructure in the local government budget. Universal Basic Education funds flow to local governments specifically for primary school development. How are these funds being used?

The Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has state-level responsibility for implementing UBE programmes. A school bearing the UBE name should not be in total dilapidation. SUBEB should conduct an urgent audit of all UBE schools in Kauru and across rural Kaduna State to identify those needing immediate intervention.

The Kaduna State Government under Sen. Governor Uba Sani has launched education reforms including school renovations. However, as Dawn Herald’s reporting shows, many rural communities are yet to benefit from these reforms. Munkari should be added to the renovation priority list immediately.

The Federal Government, through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), provides matching grants to states for basic education development. Has Kaduna State accessed all available UBEC funds? Are these funds reaching rural schools like Munkari?
Beyond One School

Munkari Primary School represents a broader crisis in rural education infrastructure across Kaduna State and Nigeria. Dawn Herald’s recent investigations have documented:
~ Central Primary School Kauru, where five elected officials watch as the school crumbles
~ Schools in Dokan Rago with one teacher for 600 pupils and zero functional classrooms
~ Numerous schools across Kubau, Ikara, and Makarfi with collapsed roofs and dangerous structures

Add Munkari to this list, and a clear picture emerges. Rural Kaduna State is experiencing an education infrastructure crisis that threatens the future of thousands of children.
The crisis exists not because money is unavailable. UBE funds flow regularly from federal to state to local governments. The crisis exists because these funds are either mismanaged, diverted, or concentrated in urban areas while rural schools are ignored.

What Must Happen be Done
First, immediate action on Munkari: The Kauru Local Government Education Authority should conduct an emergency assessment within one week. Determine whether renovation is sufficient or complete reconstruction is necessary. Provide a public timeline for when work will begin.

Second, a comprehensive rural school audit: The Kaduna State government should audit all primary schools in rural areas to identify those in critical condition. Create a priority list based on safety concerns and begin systematic renovation.

Third, transparent fund allocation: SUBEB and local government education authorities should publish detailed information on how UBE funds are spent. Which schools received renovations? How much was spent? Why were some schools prioritized over others?

Fourth, community involvement: School-Based Management Committees like the one Ya’u Yakubu chairs should be empowered to monitor renovation projects and hold authorities accountable. Communities know better when contractors do substandard work or when funds disappear.

Fifth, consequences for negligence: Education officials who allow schools under their supervision to collapse should face professional consequences. Accountability must extend beyond buildings to the people responsible for maintaining them.

The Stakes Are Clear
Every day Munkari Primary School remains dilapidated is a day children are denied their constitutional right to quality education. Every week that passes without intervention is a week closer to potential tragedy if the building collapses.

Rural children deserve the same quality of education infrastructure as urban children. A child in Munkari Village should not receive inferior education simply because they were born in a rural area. This is not just about buildings, this is about equity, justice, and Nigeria’s future.

If the government claims education is a priority, then Munkari Primary School is where that claim will be tested. Will the government respond with urgency, or will this be another rural school left unattended to while officials make promises?

Ya’u Yakubu has raised his voice on behalf of his community. The SBMC has done its job by alerting authorities to the crisis. Now the responsibility lies with government officials at local, state, and federal levels to act.
The children of Munkari village are watching, the community is watching, and the world is watching. But how long will they have to wait for action/intervention?

Aliyu Baba Mohammed, writes from Kaduna State, Nigeria.
He can be reached via: aliyu0380@gmail.com