No fewer than eight public primary schools have been closed intwo local government areas of Plateau State over attacks and killings by bandits.
Investigations revealed that the schools affected include the LEA Primary School, Pinau community; LEA Primary School, Gumbi; LEA Primary School in Bangalala community and the LEA Primary School in New Zak community, all in the Wase Local Government Area of the state.
Other schools shut down, are those in Sanfio and Dogo Ruwa communities, as well as the primary school located in the Yaje Lawal community in the same Wase Local Government Area.
It was reported that bandits had been terrorising residents of Wase LGA for some times now with the latest being an attack by gunmen on the Nyalun community, resulting in the death of the village head, Salisu Idris and two other residents last week.
Some parents in the affected communities, on Sunday, lamented the situation, describing the closure of the schools as unfortunate.
A parent, Baba Yusuf, who had his two children in the LEA Primary School, Pinau community, before the school was shut down following the activities of bandits, said that since the schools were closed, their children had been stranded without knowing where to go to continue their education.
“I have two children in LEA Primary School in Pinau, but they have stopped going to school because the school was closed as a result of insecurity.
“I think the primary school was closed to save the children from harm because some bandits have been terrorising us here.
“It is not only in Pinau community, but the same thing is also happening in other communities in Wase which made them close down the schools as well.
“Since last term when the schools were closed, they have not been reopened even when other schools resumed for a fresh term in September this year.
“So, right now that is the situation as we find it and our children are stranded without knowing where to go.” Yusuf said.
The Chairman of the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof. Mathew Sule, confirmed the shutting down of the schools due to insecurity.
“Yes, it is true the schools were shut down.
“In about five schools in Wase communities, learning isn’t taking place there right now because of the security challenge we are having in those communities,” Sule said.
According to him, the children did not sit for examinations last term on account of insecurity, which necessitaed the closing down of the schools before the end of third term.
“The affected schools are yet to be reopened becuase we are waiting for the situation to improve before the children can return to schools.”
