In response to the fire incident on Saturday, 1st February, the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), under the leadership of Chairman Barrister Mrs. Onomen Briggs, deployed a team to assess the damage at Okaro Primary School, Urhonigbe.
The delegation, headed by Mrs. Angela Okpamen, Board Member for Edo South, comprised Mrs. Beatrice Ada Oloku, Director of Shared Services, Mr. Austin Otas Osegbe, Director in Charge of Schools, Mr. Austin Ighodaro, Director of Social Mobilization, and other senior officials.
The assessment team was received by the school’s headmaster, Mr. Augustine Edowandagbon, and Mr. Obasa Victor chairman of the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC), who briefed them on the situation. According to the headmaster, he was alerted to the fire at approximately 7 PM on Saturday, although local residents reported that the blaze started around 6 PM.
While the fire resulted in the loss of school registers and other learning materials, academic activities have not been disrupted. Pupils are continuing their lessons in alternative classrooms, ensuring that learning remains uninterrupted.
During the visit, the team stressed the importance of community sensitization on fire prevention and indicated that their findings would guide both immediate and long-term remedial actions. In a further show of support, Mrs. Angela Okpamen donated 15 sets of school uniforms to children affected by the incident.
A block of three classrooms, including the headmaster’s office, was destroyed in the fire. However, the affected block was not in use at the time of the incident. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Residents of Urhonigbe have urged for prompt government intervention to rebuild the damaged structure and restore the facilities to full functionality. Edo SUBEB has reaffirmed its commitment to mitigating the impact of the fire and ensuring the swift resumption of normal educational activities.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation continues.
