The people of Amatu 2 Community in Ekeremor local government area of Bayelsa State, have called on the State government to come to their aide over the unavailability of teachers and corps members in the community.
A community leader, Mr. Jerry Samasuode, who made the call yesterday at Ekeremor Town, said for the past three years, their children have not been attending classes both at the primary and secondary school level; "a problem that's only going to get worse".
Samasuode noted that they have written several petitions to the State Ministry of Education, State Universal Basic Education Board and Post Primary Schools Board, to draw attention of government to their plight but no action has been taken for the past three years.
He said that the situation is so bad that children of the community have forgotten their academic calendar as they don't know when schools resume or close for holiday.
He also expressed fear that if nothing is done urgently to save the situation, their children may grow up to become problem to the society.
"About five years ago corps members used to cover up for unavailability of teachers but today they also abandoned us. Both the teachers and corps members that were posted to community used to complain about distance and poor standard of living as excuse but today there is a road from Yenagoa to Ekeremor.
"Today distance should not be an excuse. Concerning the issue of poor standard of living, the community made effort by providing accommodation, food and stipends to encourage them even though that is not part of our responsibility. Yet, when they are posted to our community, they will lobby officials to redeploy them to urban cities.
"Most of the teacher who work their redeployment to urban areas, told us that they are doing so because the government does not pay them rural posting allowances, even at that we made money available for them to cover up for that but they have refused to come to our community. Yet, they will say education is the bedrock of development", Samasuode stated.
Compiled by Okemsinachi Mbah
