Warah Students Sit on Bare Floor Despite Kwara’s Massive Education Funding

SPECIAL REPORT: Warah students sit on bare floor despite Kwara’s massive education funding

In Warah Community, located just a stone’s throw from the Ilorin West Local Government Secretariat, the sound of students reciting lessons in unison offers a thin veil of normalcy over a community pushed to the brink of systemic collapse.

A recent investigation by KwaraFocus reveals a harrowing reality: despite billions of Naira allocated to education in Kwara State over the last three years, the students of Warah Community Junior Secondary School are receiving lessons in conditions that are as dangerous as they are demoralizing.

A school without walls

The most striking feature of the school is its total lack of boundaries. With no fence, gate, or perimeter, the school has become a public thoroughfare. Residents walk through the premises while classes are in session, leaving students and school property entirely exposed to security risks.

“Anybody can walk into the school at any time,” lamented a community member speaking on the condition of anonymity. “It’s a serious concern for discipline and safety.”

Learning under the elements

Inside the school, the decay is visceral, crumbling classrooms. Ceilings hang precariously by rotten wooden beams, and peeling walls bear the scars of years of neglect.

Overwhelmed by a surging student population, the community has built “classrooms” out of wooden frames covered with tarpaulins and old roofing sheets.

Nigerian Sketch observed hundreds of students sitting directly on the ground, using their laps as desks.

Alhaji Isiaka Warah, a member of the school’s education committee, expressed deep frustration. “We have written several letters to the authorities, but there has been no response. With the rainy season approaching, we have no alternative space. Education will simply stop when the rain starts.”

Beyond the classroom: A community in darkness

The infrastructural rot is not limited to the school. The entire Warah-Oja axis is struggling with a total absence of basic amenities:

The main access road, though recently graded, remains untarred. It is a dust bowl in the heat and a swamp in the rain. Residents report that commercial drivers now charge double fares to enter the area.

The community has been in total darkness for over three months. This blackout has triggered a water crisis, as residents cannot power their boreholes.

The local Primary Healthcare Centre, though renovated, lacks sufficient doctors and staff. “The facility is not reliable; we still depend on private hospitals for proper care,” said resident Sulaiman Mukaila.

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Self-help amidst government silence

Tired of waiting for the state, the community has begun taxing itself. According to Alhaji Abdulraheem Wasiu, the community secretary, 13 zones have contributed over N7 million to fix roads and drainage.

“I am 35 years old and I have lived here all my life; that tells you how long this problem has existed. We are appealing to the government to intervene before the next rainy season.” — Alhaji Abdulraheem Wasiu

The N100 billion question

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The state of Warah stands in stark contrast to the Kwara State Government’s financial records. An analysis of budget documents shows that education is a top priority on paper.

In 2024, N47.76 billion was allocated to education, while in 2025, N51.53 billion was allocated.