By Mala Abdulazeez
A female student has died and several others were injured after the corridor of a block of two classrooms collapsed at Government Girls Science and Technical College (GGSTC) Potiskum.
The incident, which occurred around noon during class hours, prompted concern among parents and caregivers who rushed to the school to check on their children.
The affected students were immediately rushed to the hospital for urgent attention after being traumatized by the incident.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Bukar Aji Bukar, briefed reporters on the incident, stating that there were approximately 50 students in both classrooms, with each SS2 class containing 25 students.
“Actually, what happened was that a block of classrooms, which contained two classes, came down the corridors of the classroom, and unfortunately, five of our students were affected,” Dr. Bukar said.
He explained that the Ministry is awaiting a report from the school management to take immediate action and implement preventative measures to avoid similar incidents in the future.
The Permanent Secretary of the Yobe State Science and Technical Board, Dr. Dauda Atiyaye, confirmed the incident and urged parents to remain calm, assuring them that the situation is under control.
He explained that one of the girls, from Fika LGA, has been confirmed dead, while others who sustained injuries are responding to treatment.
According to the doctor in charge of the accident and emergency unit at Yobe State Specialist Hospital, Potiskum, the unit is awaiting scan results to rule out internal injuries.
It was gathered that the body of the deceased student has been released to her family for burial.
Parents interviewed, attributed the incident to negligence and recklessness by the State Government and school management for failing to address challenges confronting government-owned schools.
