By Jerry Needam
…30 Schools Run By One Teacher As Education Committee Submits Alarming Findings
Primary education across Ogoniland is facing a deepening crisis, as a committee set up by the Khana–Gokana–Tai–Eleme (KAGOTE) leadership has uncovered a severe shortage of teachers in public primary schools across the area.
The five-member committee, constituted by KAGOTE President-General Chief Lesi Maol, formally submitted its investigative report on Friday, March 6, 2026, at the corporate headquarters of Giolee Global Resources Limited.
The committee was established shortly after the inauguration of the new KAGOTE leadership to assess the growing concerns over inadequate teaching staff in Ogoni primary schools.
Presenting the findings, the committee chairman, Chief Bodo Kaka Addo, said the team carried out an extensive field assessment across the four Ogoni local government areas — Khana, Gokana, Tai, and Eleme — visiting a total of 157 primary schools during the exercise.
The report paints a troubling picture of the state of education in the area.
According to the committee, 30 schools are currently being run by only one teacher, while 39 schools have just two teachers and 20 schools operate with only three teachers.
Even among the relatively better staffed schools, many have no more than five teachers to cater for hundreds of pupils.
In several of the schools visited, the committee discovered teacher-pupil ratios of one teacher to about 100 pupils, a situation the report described as a serious threat to effective learning and the delivery of quality primary education.
Beyond the shortage of teachers, the committee also observed that many school environments are in poor condition.
Several school compounds were found overgrown with tall grasses, raising concerns about safety, sanitation, and the overall learning environment for pupils.
The committee, which was inaugurated on January 18, 2026, during a KAGOTE meeting at the residence of former KAGOTE President Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Deeyah in Gwara Community, Khana Local Government Area, was made up of Dr. Cyprian Eddey Kpakol as Secretary, alongside members Barr. Baride Gwezia, Chief Obele Chu, and Barr. Ken Saronwiyo.
To address the crisis, the committee recommended the immediate deployment of additional teachers using two possible strategies.
The first approach proposes redistributing and deploying teachers based on the current number of teachers already available in each school.
The second approach recommends assigning teachers based on pupil enrolment figures to ensure a more balanced teacher-pupil ratio.
Under the enrolment-based model, the committee suggested that schools with 450 to 650 pupils should have at least six teachers, while those with 350 to 400 pupils require five teachers.
Schools with 250 to 300 pupils should have four teachers, those with 100 to 200 pupils should have three teachers, and schools with fewer than 100 pupils should have at least two teachers.
The committee further stressed that any intervention must be supported by strong supervision, monitoring, and evaluation mechanisms to ensure that improvements in staffing translate into better learning outcomes.
The report is expected to serve as a key advocacy document as KAGOTE begins engagements with government authorities and other stakeholders to address the deteriorating state of primary education in Ogoniland. Education stakeholders say the findings highlight an urgent need for action to prevent further decline in the quality of basic education for thousands of children across the Ogoni communities.
