By MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

STAKEHOLDERS in the educational sector in Lagos have called on governor, Babatunde Fashola to save the lives of pupils in public schools from incessant but avoidable accidents in public schools by designing measures that would help improve the security of life in the schools.

They further wondered if the state government in its drive to provide block of classrooms install safety apparatus in the schools.

For example in the last six months there had been life-threatening developments in Lagos public schools.
On October 31, 2013: At least 25 students of Ogba Junior Secondary School, Lagos, went into coma after inhaling a chemical waste discharged into drainage by a company called Bizcircuit Photo Laboratory, situated few metres from the school premises.

The incident was said to have occurred at about 12. 40pm while the students were still in their classes shortly before the normal closing period. The development led to pandemonium as school management panicked, and parents raced to the scene to rescue their children.

Offensive gas and smoke
Vanguard gathered that the dangerous gas took the pupils unaware and enveloped the premises and got the victims unconscious.
Miss. Adetayo Adekanbi, a pupil of the school narrated thus; “We were just in the class when we all perceived the offensive gas and smoke that clouded the entire premises. We never knew it was injurious

“For me, immediately I noticed it, I ran towards the gate to escape inhaling the odour, but some of my colleagues who weren’t aware, caught up by the gas.”
Officials of the various state’s emergency management agencies, arrived the scene and rushed the unconscious victims to Blue Cross Hospital and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH. Newsmen were however, prevented from gaining access to the victims as they were dispersed by security personnel.

The Head of Logistic, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Mr. Femi Giwa, told journalists at the scene that of the 25 victims, four were in critical condition and presently responding to treatment.
He said a distress was received and the officials responded immediately to save the situation.

According to Giwa on arriving at the scene, the team conducted a general assessment and discovered that certain liquid chemicals with offensive and choking odour was stored and use for production in the photo lab on the first floor of the shopping complex.

“The offensive odour permeated the environment, which could have led to the unfortunate incident. Giwa stated.
He said the government immediately,sealed off the premises and arrested three of the staff of the photo studio.
Giwa however, assured that proper investigation would be conducted to ascertain the chemical analysis and its effect on the environment.

Also, State Director of Fire and Safety Services, Mr. Rasaq Fadipe, said officials assisted the rescue team in arresting the further spread of chemical fumes.
On November 14, 2013: Eight students of Ajangbadi High School in Iba Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Lagos went into coma after the railing of the two-storey building in the school collapsed.

The incident which caused pandemonium in the school premises occurred at about 10:00 a.m. as the students were leaning on the rail on the second floor of the building.
Vanguard gathered that the rail had shown signs of rust but was not replaced.

Miss Rofiat Ademola, a Senior Secondary School, SSS1 student, said the rail finally gave way on Monday and injured eight of the SSS 3, students.
According to Ademola: “We were in the classroom at about 10:00 a.m. suddenly, we heard a loud noise.
“We rushed out to see what was happening and saw that some SSS3 students had fallen from the second floor of the building.”

Another student, Mr. Samuel Olasunkanmi, said the rail started showing signs of rust since last school term.
“Despite the bad state of the rail, the students still used to lean on it before it collapsed on Monday.”
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the council, Mrs. Ramota Oseni-Adeyeri who spoke to Vanguard, said  only eight students were affected when the rail gave way.

Appropriate treatment
Oseni-Adeyeri said: “The students were rushed to the Iba LCDA Primary Health Centre, PHC, where the medical officers gave them appropriate treatment.
“Of the eight students, only one is still in critical condition at the moment and she was transferred to the Igando General Hospital, Igando, for treatment.”

On March 06, 2014: There was palpable anxiety among parents and guardians in the Ogba axis of Lagos metropolis after 13 students of Ogba Junior Grammah School, Ogba, Ojodu Local Council Development Area, LCDA, collapsed after inhaling an unidentified poisonous fumes discharged from one of the cottage factories in Ogba Shopping Arcade.

This came four months after 25 of the students of the same school collapsed after inhaling an unidentified chemical waste discharged into drainage by a  Photo Laboratory, situated in the Shopping Arcade.
When Vanguard visited the school, the management and staff were wondering which company would have discharged such hazardous fumes .

Also, our correspondent observed that parents of the students raced to the scene to verify the condition of  their children. While those whose children weren’t affected by the emission rushed them back home, some were also sighted wailing over the ugly incident.

Mr. Oladokun, the father of one of the victims, who rushed to the scene immediately he heard of the incident, said: “I was in the office when my wife called me that my daughter, who is in JSS 3 was also affected.”
The incident was said to have occurred at about 12:40 pm while the students were still in their classes.
Vanguard gathered that the leak of the dangerous gas was least expected as it enveloped the premises making the victims unconscious.

Unconscious victims
Officials of the  National Emergency management Agency, NEMA and its Lagos state counterpart, LASEMA and the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit, SEHMU arrived the scene and rushed the unconscious victims to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja for treatment.
Lagos govt. reassures parents:

The Lagos State Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Mr Alawiye King, has assured parents of the protection of children in the state’s public schools.
King gave the assurance in Lagos while reacting to Thursday’s incident involving about 13 pupils of Ogba Junior Secondary School, who became unconscious after inhaling poisonous gas during school hours.

Rescuing a student after the emission

He said the state government had deployed relevant agencies to investigate the incident.
“The area has been sealed-off, relevant government agencies have been there; it has happened before and they suspected a photographic laboratory which was closed down.

“It is happening again and we have to investigate it and know the cause of the emission.“The major responsibility of any responsible, sensible and proactive government is to protect the lives and property of its citizenry.
“We are protecting lives and that is why we have many emergency agencies handling the incident,” he said.