Public Primary School Lom-Nava : School children in danger

Students, parents and teachers at the Lom-Nava school fear for the lives of their children. They are in perpetual thanksgiving every day that God makes. And for good reason, the building which serves as classrooms for the children is in an advanced state of disrepair

Decayed ceiling with visible iron bars, first floor slab with loose slabs. No need for more details to explain what the schoolchildren of Epp Lom-Nava experience, in Akpakpa in the 2nd district of the city of Cotonou, economic capital of Benin. They themselves are barely aware of it. “We are not comfortable when it rains. Water is flowing upstairs”, said this schoolgirl almost naively in CM2 class. “When we are in class, the rain hits us” adds his comrade.

“Under the effect of the rain, the bricks which served as blocks and ceilings give way in the middle of the classroom. This puts children in total insecurity” relates Lourde Nounagnon Houéto, Director of Epp Lom-Nava speaking on Radio Capp FM. Jean K. Don't come, president of the parents’ association of Epp Lom-Lava says he is helpless in the face of the situation.  “We don’t know what the Epp Lom-Nava did and since 1999, nothing was done for the school. We parents, What can we ? » He asks himself thoughtfully.

According to the Quarter Chief, attempts to get municipal authorities to resolve the problem have been unsuccessful. “I have since written 2016 that I was elected, At the mayor. I moved to the Technical Services Directorate (DST) to ask them to come and see. A few years later I was told that it was in the budget of 2019. When the time came, nothing was done. It was served to me after it would have been done in 2020… but” deplores Frédéric Arsène Biwémin.

Please note that until we put this article under pressure,  the building is still as you see the pictures.

Arnaud ACAKPO (Coll)