Appraisal of the Performance of Building Components in Public Primary Schools in Adamawa State

The performance and durability of building components in public primary schools directly affect the learning environment, maintenance expenditure, and life cycle costs of educational infrastructure. This study appraises the physical performance of key building components in public primary schools in Adamawa State, examining 35 schools across Yola, Mubi, and Ganye Local Government Areas. A building condition survey methodology was combined with structured questionnaire data from 72 respondents including quantity surveyors, school administrators, and ministry officials. Data were analysed using condition rating scales and descriptive statistics. Findings reveal that roofing, floor finishes, and external wall components exhibit the highest deterioration rates, with 68% of surveyed schools requiring urgent remedial works on at least one major building element. The study finds that materials specified for initial construction have frequently been downgraded to inferior alternatives during procurement, contributing to premature failure and disproportionate maintenance costs. The absence of routine building inspections and maintenance budgets accelerates deterioration. Recommendations include establishment of annual school condition survey programmes by the Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board, integration of life cycle cost analysis in school design specifications, and use of durable locally available materials such as compressed earth blocks for future school construction. This research contributes to educational infrastructure maintenance knowledge in the North East geopolitical zone. Keywords: building components, performance appraisal, primary schools, Adamawa State, maintenance