By Etop Ekanem

Community Development expert, Emeka Adibe, founder of the Barna-Berna Foundation for Humanity, has harped on free transportation as a solution to boost academic performance among public school students in Lagos.

Disclosing this in a statement recently, he underscored the negative impact of daily long-distance trekking on students’ health, focus, and academic outcomes.

Adibe asserts, “When students walk for 45 minutes under the sun every morning and afternoon, they arrive at school too exhausted to absorb anything. By the time their teachers are repeating mathematical formulas, they are already mentally shut down from the physical stress.”

Citing findings from the Lagos Eko Project, he noted that there are 671 public secondary schools in Lagos, unlike churches which are on nearly every street.

He explained that this persistent exposure to physical exertion and heat can elevate stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol in students, leading to distraction and low concentration in class.

To address this challenge, Adibe launched the Barna-Berna Foundation for Humanity (BBF) in August 2024 with a mission to create an enabling environment for students’ academic and moral development.

Since September 2024, the foundation’s Back-to-School Bus Fare Project has been paying bus fares for more than 1,000 students every quarter.

He said: “We didn’t start by chartering buses. Instead, our volunteers go directly to bus stops and pay the fare for every student seen in uniform. It’s a simple, direct intervention, but it’s working.”

He added that while the students were initially hesitant, they soon warmed up to the gesture when they saw that the volunteers were paying for the same buses they usually boarded.

“Now, the students wait for us if we arrive late — they know we’re coming,” he said.

Jessica Ajuonuma, the project director, reinforced the foundation’s grassroots, stating, “We show up at bus stops with modest funds, and we make sure no student has to walk that day. That consistency is building trust and hope.”

The project currently operates in the Ago-Okota area of Lagos, with plans to expand routes based on student needs.   “Some may see our efforts as small, but in truth, what we’re doing is removing a major barrier to learning,” he said. “When students are no longer physically drained before class starts, they can finally show their true academic potential.

“School materials are important, yes. But what good are textbooks when the students are too tired to read them?” he asked.

Adibe holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning and a master’s in Community Planning.

Through his foundation, he continues to apply practical solutions to real challenges affecting vulnerable populations, particularly students in underserved communities.