Recently, education in Nigeria has been criticized by many local and international scholars as having worrisome concepts that have made it cumbersome to achieve its objectives. Efforts have also been made through legal and social enactments to rejuvenate the dilapidated education system in Nigeria. The approaches applied include curriculum modifications, structural placements, human capital development, teaching monitoring, state of the art inventions as well as the introduction of relevant instruments and aids in seeing that the moulding of the Nigerian child is achievable in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on education.
School, a place of fundamental upbringing of a child has been neglected by all institutions saddled with the responsibility of management. Government, schools, parents, religious organizations, among others, have all failed in their respective duties. Structures in Nigerian schools, both primary, post primary and tertiary are nothing but death traps. Some of these structures erected so many years ago have metamorphosed into a show of shame.
More worrisome is that teaching materials are totally lacking in most of our schools. A school was recently observed by a parent that the teacher has been using a lesson note dated to 1970 to teach. This is not compared to outdated textbooks and poorly equipped laboratories where only a test tube is found in a chemistry lab, an incomplete skeleton found in a biology lab, faulty computer sets dumped in a computer laboratory that even the children hardly touch a key during lessons.
It is out of tune with reality for anyone to expect a good result from the country’s decadent education system, a system bedeviled by constant strikes, poor funding and all manner of corrupt influences and mediocrity. Some of the schools have bamboozled pupils and students with so much workbook and textbook with intent of making money from parents by making them compulsory for every child.
Some of the school heads and principals have entered a commercial contract with book suppliers who supply these books to them at a favourable discount to sell them at exorbitant prices to parents who are not permitted to buy books elsewhere. Solutions have been proffered many times through seminars and lectures, some of which were organized by government and its agencies; but it appears government lacks the will to address the problems squarely.
There is need to go back to the drawing board to find out what exactly went wrong and how these problems can be redressed. Gone are the days when Grades 1 and 2 graduates of secondary schools were recruited as auxiliary teachers in primary and secondary schools. Students were serious with their studies while parents and guardians monitor their children and wards and prevailed on them to adhere to set standards. There were few disruptions in academic calendar as debates and seminars were regularly organized to enlighten the children. Today, most graduates cannot defend their certificates. Admissions into schools are no longer based on merit but on influence. Different admission lists are pushed by different interest groups as “slots”. The qualifications of most of the teaching staff are questionable. Some of these teachers junket from one place to another as part time teachers or as visiting lecturers. How can they give their best?
The incessant industrial actions have also truncated academic calendars and some public schools now operate on ad hoc basis. And as soon as the stirke is suspended, lectures are rushed on crash program basis. Some lecturers in the higher institutions collude with students and award them underserved marks in return for gratification. The problem has become worrisome considering that the products of this unfortunate system are the supposed leaders of tomorrow.
Nigeria at large should rise to abridge this lacuna in our school system or we may end up as specimen of utility to mankind. Let us change our mindset and do the needful for child upbringing. Remember that the child you taught wrongly may sooner or later control your tomorrow which may turn out to be a regret for you. Government should revisit schools both public and private to scrutinize the activities of the school management on quarterly periods.
Parents should question any unpleasant behaviour of their child to avoid regrets. Churches and mosques should let the mask off by inculcating moral attitudes into teachers. Education is the key because the pen is mightier than sword.
Written by EVANGELIST UGOCHUKWU NWAFO
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