Ihenweorie Secondary School In State Of Decay, Buildings Collapse

By Our Reporter
Many years of neglect by the successive governments of Imo State has eventually led to the final dilapidation of the buildings at Ihenweorie Secondary School in Ahiara, built by three communities – Ogwuama, Obodo Ujichi and Akabor – in the late ‘70s and handed over to the government.
Like the Ihenweorie Health Centre which was also collectively built by the three communities and handed over to government to carter for the health needs of the people, the school was Ihenweorie’s response to the call of government for assistance in giving the indigenes of Imo State qualitative and affordable education within their locality.
But all those dreams have been messed up by the government’s nonchalance thereby rendering efforts and sweat of the suffering people of the three communities useless as both their Health Centre and the School which they committed their scarce resources to build have been abandoned by government to rot.
Conceived as a purely girls college and named Ihenweorie Girls Secondary School, it was later renamed Ihenweorie Secondary School by the government to create room for the male folks within the state to get post primary admission easily in the school.
Today, the school is now a ghost of itself as no new structure has been erected apart from the ones the three communities built at inception. What is even worse is that the government does not find it necessary to renovate the school’s old buildings the way it claims does in other parts of the state.
Thus, the government has left the communities wondering if they are still part and parcel of the education system of Imo State?
Governor Rochas Okorocha should take a trip to this school or even send a delegation to enable him have first-hand information and assessment of the state of decay in the school. Seeing they say, is believing.
The students are no longer protected either during rainy or dry season due to the state of their building. The same applies to their teachers.
One indigene of one of the communities had this to say regarding the pitiable stats of Ihenweorie Secondary School:
“This situation is as unfortunate, sad as it is tragic. It paints a graphic picture of gloom and degradation and tells that there is no form of government presence in our domain. This school was built with the resources and community effort of Ihenweorie people and handed over to Imo State government to run and maintain.
“If the present school infrastructure is in such a state of dilapidation, the quality of its students and graduates can be anyone’s guess. At best, they will be third-rate and may never possess the academic, social and psychological impetus to face an ever challenging and intense competitive world we live in today.
“I think we have been thoroughly hoodwinked, deceived and raped by a government that should be a custodian of our commonwealth and shared heritage. In the present circumstance, my thinking is that we should call and mobilise all sons, daughters, in-laws, friends, well-wishers and all people of goodwill to join forces with us to undertake the rehabilitation of the only Secondary School our children can readily access for this level of education.
“The Ihenweorie Development Union wherever they are should place this matter topmost in their to do list and make this a priority project. Our parents will turn in their graves if a school built less than fifty years ago through their sacrifice to give their children a better life has come to nought. Let’s arise!”