The Lagos State Government has ramped up its efforts to enforce structural integrity checks on school buildings across the state after identifying several distressed structures in its public school system.
A key part of this initiative is the ongoing demolition of Mainland Senior High School on Onayade Street in the Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA).
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Hakeem Smith, Chairman of the Special Committee on Rehabilitation of Public Schools (SCRPS), confirmed the action during an inspection of the demolition site. He explained that the decision was based on comprehensive structural integrity assessments of the affected buildings.
Smith stated that his committee’s primary mandate is to ensure all public primary and secondary schools in the state provide a safe and habitable learning environment.
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Detailing the situation at Mainland Senior High School, he said that during a routine inspection, a building previously marked for demolition but left standing was discovered. “As a standard procedure, we conducted structural integrity tests before taking any action,” Smith said. “The results showed that not only did the identified block require demolition, but another nearby structure also posed serious risks.”
He clarified that while two buildings are being torn down, a third structure on the school grounds will be rehabilitated to meet safety standards.
To ensure the demolition proceeds safely, affected students have been temporarily moved to nearby schools. Smith added that there are plans to construct new classroom blocks to accommodate the school’s growing population.
“We will assess the student population to determine the number of classrooms required,” he stated. “Once approvals are secured, construction is expected to be completed within nine months.”
The committee chairman emphasized a commitment to conducting integrity tests on all existing school buildings, noting that any new construction will adhere to international standards, including proper soil testing and structural design.
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Meanwhile, Adebayo Ogunrinde, Coordinator of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) in Yaba, highlighted the group’s role in safeguarding lives by identifying structurally unsound school buildings in the area.
Ogunrinde explained that the BCPG acted as a whistleblower, reporting its findings to the relevant Lagos State agencies, which then conducted official structural tests. He stressed that the Guild’s main objective is to prevent building collapses by proactively identifying at-risk structures.
He also mentioned that the Guild has partnered with the SCRPS to extend similar inspections to other schools in Yaba, ensuring the safety of students and staff.
“We are shifting from reactive responses to proactive prevention,” Ogunrinde declared. “We don’t want to wait until a building collapses before we begin to act. Our goal is to prevent such incidents entirely, not respond after the damage has been done.”
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The Onisabe of Igboi-Sabi, Oba Adeyemi Adeniyi, expressed his relief over the demolition at Mainland Senior High School, noting the abandoned buildings had been a long-standing concern in his community.
“I am so happy today that this building is gone,” the traditional ruler said. “That building has been there for probably about six years, abandoned. It should have gone a long time ago.”
