Government Secondary School Otukpo Project (GSSO)

Government secondary school Otukpo (GSSO) is one of the oldest schools in Otukpo, Benue state Nigeria. Located in the middle belt area of the country, this town is home to the Idoma speaking nation of the country and has a population of about 160,000. This school which has produced many notable figures in the country, has played a major role in the development of this area and has influenced the immediate community positively. However, the existence of this school is under serious threats at the moment as we gathered during our tour through the school and interaction with the principal staff as well as other staff members of the school during a needs assessment. We found out that the school is not only lacking structures at the moment but also lacking important facilities as library and accommodation facilities. At the time of the needs assessment, the school once known for its population and high academic standards in this area could only boast of less than 100 pupils with florid decay of infrastructures and facilities. The school has an up-to-date computer laboratory but this is currently not in use owing to a number of factors. It also has a number of abandoned accommodation facilities that could well profit students from the community. During our interaction with the school pupils, they (the students) lamented the need for a functional library, social clubs and sporting activities among other things which they consider critical to their learning and functioning as students.
At the moment we have set up a club in the school and are working towards addressing some of the challenges highlighted above.