Evaluation of Building Maintenance Practices in Public Secondary Schools in Enugu State

Effective building maintenance is essential for ensuring safe and conducive learning environments in public secondary schools, yet maintenance practices in Enugu State, South East Nigeria, are reportedly inadequate and inconsistently applied. This study evaluated the building maintenance practices of public secondary schools in Enugu State, examining maintenance planning, funding levels, and physical condition of school structures. A cross-sectional survey was conducted across 24 public secondary schools purposively selected from Enugu North, Enugu South, and Igbo-Eze North Local Government Areas. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to school principals and bursars, supported by physical condition rating of 10 building components per school. Descriptive statistics and the condition index method were used for analysis. Results revealed that 71% of sampled schools had no formal maintenance plan, and annual maintenance budgets were below 200,000 Naira in 83% of cases. Physical condition ratings showed that roofing (mean condition index: 2.1 out of 5) and sanitary facilities (mean: 1.8 out of 5) were in the poorest condition. Reactive maintenance was the dominant strategy in 88% of schools, with only 12% adopting any scheduled preventive approach. The study concludes that building maintenance in Enugu State public secondary schools is critically underfunded and reactive. Recommendations include mandatory school building maintenance funds at 2.5% of total school capital value per annum and annual condition audits by the Enugu State Ministry of Education.

Keywords: building maintenance, public secondary schools, condition index, Enugu State, school infrastructure