Weakened blocks caused Lagos school building’s collapse

The school building collapsed on Friday, hurting 13 children.

The collapse of the school building which caved-in and injured 13 pupils, last Friday, has been attributed to weakened blocks used in the construction.

About four of the 13 pupils of Layeni Primary School, Ajegunle, were referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, after they were rushed to the Awodi-Ora General Hospital, in Ajegunle.

“The parents of two out of the four at LASUTH have taken them to another hospital. The other two have leg and head injuries and they are responding to treatment,” said a school teacher, who was part of a “delegation” that visited the pupils at LASUTH on Monday.

The other nine students sustained minor bruises and have been discharged from the hospitals.

Several sources at the school who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, said that the building had not undergone rehabilitation since it was constructed in the 1980s.

“The building was built by (Lateef) Jakande when he was Lagos governor. We have decided to pull down the remaining blocks,” a school teacher, who did not want to be named because she was not authorized to speak to journalists, said.

The pupils now receive their lessons in an open space sheltered by the roof of what used to be a building.

At the sound of the school bell, signaling break period on Tuesday, pupils dashed into an open space that served as the school field.

The only difference between their classrooms and the school field is the shanty roof over their heads and the rickety decks and chairs

Eye witnesses say that last Friday’s building collapse was caused by pupils who leaned against the “old, dilapidated” wall.

In addition to Layeni Primary School, three other primary schools are squeezed into the same compound.

When asked of the local council’s efforts to forestall future recurrence, Fatai Hamzat, the Supervisor for Education and Library Services in Ifelodun local council said that such responsibilities do not fall within their purview.