AN EXAMINATION OF IMPACT OF SCHOOL BUILDING COLLAPSE ON EDUCATION CONTINUITY (CASE STUDY OF SAINT ACADEMY SCHOOL, JOS)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

School buildings serve as the physical setting where the educational process takes place, involving both educators and pupils. The state of a school building has a stronger correlation with student achievement than other relevant characteristics such as family history, socioeconomic level, financial situation, school attendance, and conduct. Additionally, the National Clearing house for Educational buildings discovered that the substandard state of school buildings has a negative impact on academic performance (Lumpkin et al., 2019). The National Centre for Education Statistics (NCES) stated that 48% of instructors relocated to a different school and 39% changed careers due to inadequate management facilities and a low level of comfort in their employment. Enhancing the school infrastructure and environmental quality can have additional advantages for teachers and support personnel, such as boosting their morale and decreasing absenteeism and turnover. This, in turn, indirectly contributes to improved student achievement (Hopland, 2018). However, these same buildings have been creating threats and hazards to humans either during or after construction due to their collapse. 

According to Fadamiro (2022), a building is a structure that is designed to house specific activities, regulate the local climate, provide necessary services, and dispose of trash. He further  described buildings as structural elements that can support their own weight by transferring it to the ground. Furthermore, buildings can be described as structures designed for human activities, with the primary requirement of ensuring the safety of the occupants (Odulami, 2020). In addition, these buildings offer a wide range of accommodations such as housing, mosques, churches, offices, schools, industries, hospitals, stadiums, ports, hotels, and more. Furthermore, they also create job opportunities for both skilled and unskilled individuals. Conversely, building collapse is the unexpected failure of a component or the entire body of a structure, rendering it unable to fulfil its intended purpose. It is a severe instance of structural failure in a building. Arilesere (2022) refers  building collapse to the whole or partial collapse of the superstructure. Additionally, the structural failure of educational facilities presents a significant hazard to the continuous delivery of education, jeopardising the security, welfare, and scholastic performance of students. 

Educational continuity encompasses the seamless provision of education and the maintenance of a stable learning environment. It is essential to ensure a seamless academic experience for students in order to avoid any significant interruptions that could hinder their intellectual and psychological development. Continuous access to education is essential for the cognitive, social, and emotional growth of kids. When school buildings fail, the immediate consequence is the cessation of classroom activities, forcing students to either remain at home or find alternative, sometimes suboptimal, educational settings (UNESCO, 2020). Therefore, a survey will be conducted in order to examine impact of school building collapse on education continuity.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

In recent times, school building collapses are more common in areas where there is a combination of fast urbanisation, insufficient investment in infrastructure, and weak enforcement of regulations. In Nigeria, there have been several instances that have highlighted the susceptibility of educational facilities to building collapse. These catastrophic events are often caused by factors such as the use of low-quality construction materials, inadequate maintenance, and poor oversight. Ukoha et al., (2021) on the other hand, highlighted the structural failure of educational facilities not only poses a risk to the physical safety of children but also causes significant disruptions to the academic schedule, resulting in prolonged school closures and hindered learning processes. The immediate consequences of a school building collapse includes physical injuries, loss of life, and psychological distress among students and staff. These occurrences frequently result in the need for immediate evacuations and temporary shutdowns of the schools that are affected. 

In a study by Oyebode et al., (2021), the collapse of school building causes educational disruption which in turn have a dramatic impact. Students may encounter a loss of critical instructional time, encounter challenges in accessing alternate educational facilities, and experience a reduction in academic performance. In addition, the psychological distress linked to observing or undergoing a building collapse hinders students' capacity to focus and participate in educational tasks with efficiency.Multiple case studies illustrate the profound consequences of school building disasters on the uninterrupted progress of education. For example, the structural failure of a primary school in Lagos in 2019 led to the immediate shutdown of the school and left several pupils without a secure environment for education. The occurrence triggered a governmental inquiry of the structural soundness of educational facilities throughout the state, uncovering prevalent inadequacies. Furthermore, in Plateau State, the structural failure of a secondary school building in 2021 caused significant disruption to the education of more than a thousand pupils. Likewise, Saint Academy in the state capital Jos caved in while students were in class writing exams on Friday, July 2024. Children were left trapped under the debris.  Reports have it that Twenty-two children died and at least 132 have been injured. This situation required immediate action to move the students and restore educational services (Adebayo et al., 2024). 

Although existing studies have touched impact of building collapse on wellbeing of victims but little or no attention has been paid to how school building affection retention and drop out. Hence, it is in the light of these that the study seeks to examine impact of school building collapse on education continuity.

 1.3  Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine impact of school building collapse on education continuity. Specifically, the study will;

Determine the extent collapse of school building triggered immediate temporary restriction of classroom activities of students in Saints Academy, Jos.

Determine the extent collapse of school building increased teachers and students absenteeism in Saints Academy, Jos.

Determine whether collapse of  school building contributes to teachers and students turnover in Jos.

Investigate the factors contributing to the delayed reconstruction of collapsed school buildings in Jos.

1.4  Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

To what extent did the collapse of the school building trigger immediate temporary restriction of classroom activities for students in Saints Academy, Jos?

To what extent did the collapse of the school building increase teachers' and students' absenteeism in Saints Academy, Jos?

Does the collapse of school buildings contribute to teachers' and students' turnover in Jos?

What are the factors contributing to the delayed reconstruction of collapsed school buildings in Jos?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

H0: School building collapse has no significant impact on education continuity.

Ha: School building collapse has a significant impact on education continuity.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The research findings will be utilized by disaster management authorities and community organisations to improve their response tactics, hence assuring prompt and efficient assistance to impacted schools. Additionally, educators and school administrators will be able to develop and implement contingency plans to ensure that education continues despite structural failures. Moreover, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to impact of school building collapse on education continuity.

1.6 Scope of the study   

The scope of this study is boarded on impact of school building collapse on education continuity. Geographically, the study will be delimited to residents of Jos, Plateau state.

1.7 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

 1.9 Definition of Terms

Building: building is a structure with a roof and walls, such as a house, school, or factory, that is constructed to provide shelter, support activities, or serve a specific purpose.

Collapse: the sudden failure of a structure, often resulting in it falling down or caving in.

Education: refers to the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits.

Educational continuity: the uninterrupted and consistent delivery of educational services and experiences, ensuring that students can continue their learning process without significant disruptions.