Children’s Future at Risk as N1bn Sokoto School Lies Abandoned for 9 Years

The prolonged abandonment of the N1 billion Model Boarding Secondary School in Balle, Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State has raised fresh concerns about children’s right to education and proper development.

Completed in 2017 under former governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the school was meant to expand access to quality secondary education. It targeted children in an underserved and educationally disadvantaged community.

Nearly nine years later, not a single student has used the facility. The school remains idle despite its full construction.

The complex includes classrooms, laboratories, hostels, a clinic, staff quarters, and sports facilities. It was designed to support both academic learning and social development for children in Balle and nearby communities.

At the time, many families saw the project as a turning point. It promised safer and shorter access to education. It also aimed to reduce dropout rates and improve literacy levels in the border region.

However, insecurity in parts of the area has changed its use. Security personnel currently occupy the facility. Residents accept the security presence, but they question the long delay in restoring education.

Child rights experts warn that this situation undermines a core development goal. They stress that education is a fundamental right, not a privilege. It supports cognitive growth, social skills, and long-term economic stability.

When children lose access to schools, the risks increase. Many face illiteracy, poverty, and child labour. Some may even drift toward criminal exploitation.

In Balle, residents continue to call for urgent action. They want the school returned to its original purpose. Others suggest relocating security operations to another site.

Some stakeholders propose a different option. They recommend converting the facility into a tertiary institution campus if secondary use is no longer possible.

This concern grows stronger in Sokoto State. Large numbers of school-age children remain out of school. The unused facility highlights a wider education gap.

Child development advocates argue that education builds dignity and opportunity. It also strengthens communities over time. Every year of closure represents a lost chance for children.

Ultimately, stakeholders insist that reopening the school is a child rights priority. It is not just about infrastructure. It is about protecting the future of an entire generation.