Save Our Souls! Blind Students Cry Out

Students of the Special School for the Blind, Afara-ukwu Umuahia, in Umuahia North Local government council of Abia State have called on the state government, well meaning individuals and Abians to come to their aid over what they described as “terrible” living conditions.

Speaking to DreamNews after a peaceful protest in the School, the students accused the school management of high handedness, corruption, and having no compassion on them.

One of the students who spoke on behalf of the others but on the condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak on the matter said the students have suffered a great deal in the hands of the school authorities.

He lamented that while the school is presented to the public as free, the students pay between N80,000 and N100,000 to be admitted into the school. He also accused the school management of collecting levies from the students which are not meant for anything one can lay hands on.

According to him, students are subjected to buying cutlasses, hoes and other items the management included in the prospectus which they alleged that the school management share among them.

He recalled that in February 2024, a team of Nigerian nurses from Atlanta, United States of America came and gave them marbock and stylus, talking wrist watches and cartons of sanitary pads for the female students. He alleged that the school authorities forcefully took them from the students after the donors

He said when some students tried to ask questions, the school authorities penalized them, and up till now, those materials meant to aid the students’ learning were diverted.

Speaking further, he said a particular professor who always visited them gave the students three customized laptops in December 2024 to enhance computer literacy among the students, which he alleged have never been put to any use ever since. He challenged DreamNews Reporter to go to the computer room to see for himself if they have any computers there.

The students also accused the school authorities of feeding them poorly.

He said, “We are calling on the Abia State government, the State House of Assembly, well to do individuals and the public to come and help us. Here in this school, a lot of crimes are going on.”

Moreover, he said the school has been working assiduously to strangle the social life of the students. According to him, the school authorities came up recently with a new policy of not allowing male and female students sit together.

Some of them intoned that they have been accused of sexually harassing their female counterparts simply because they were seen either standing or sitting together. According to them, the allegations of sexual harassment were without substance. They alleged that the school authorities employed it as another way to oppress, suppress, intimidate and victimize them.