May 27 celebrations reminded me of recently when i went in search of a new school for my two younger siblings (twins), three απϑ half years olds. They have been in another school for almost a year and their is nothing useful to show in terms of learning.
The search led me to several basic private schools in and around the wuse axis of Abuja. I never spared a thought for public schools even though i had one 5 minutes away from our residence, Why? The answer should be obvious but i will come back to it later.
My discovery at these schools was quite disturbing. The cheapest school i came across quoted its school fees at #75,000 (and does not include uniforms,sports wear,school bus fee απϑ lesson fees etc) when added to the rest, the total rises to about #120,000 per term for a child in pre-nursery (or reception as they are called these days). For both boys i was looking at #240,000 per term.
One of the schools had its fee for that class at #220,000 per child for a term. That makes it #440,000 for the boys! Nothing has been said about the money the parents will spend on the snacks or lunch packs the kids have to take to school every school day. i have 1st hand information on this so trust me when i say the figures are alarming!
Children's' day celebrations got me thinking απϑ wondering how we (nigeria) got to this place, where good education has become a luxury only the rich can afford. I am greatly disturbed at the extent of decline απϑ decay of our educational system, mostly and especially in public schools.
The quality of education in the country have being in constant decline απϑ the sectors gradual decay can be traced back to the 90's. Over time, teachers have become substandard απϑ structures poorly or no longer maintained.
Proliferation of private universities is the latest in the trend of our educational sector's decline since the implementation of the law allowing private tertiary operators was passed in 1993 . This was to help absorb the number of students leaving the public tertiary schools due to incessant riots απϑ strikes.
Parents who could afford these schools sent their wards there to prevent them from sitting at home απϑ wasting away. Those whose parents were financially handicapped either sat at home restless or in the case of the mischievous ones, turned to a life of crime .
The government authorities in charge has turned a blind eye to this development απϑ instead government officials have busied themselves with enriching their bottomless pockets απϑ has helped place nigeria on the top of the list of most corrupt nations in the world.
Of course, they don't need the public schools because they can afford to send their children and wards abroad for better education, so our educational sector can rot away for all they care!
Invariably, the fees of private schools have skyrocketed. According to a report by the United States Diplomatic Mission, the average fee in a private secondary school in Nigeria annually ranges between $1,000 - $2,000 (#160,000 - #320,000) . How many people can actually afford that? Your guess is as good as mine.
I recall watching few months ago a TV documentary on public schools of one of the states απϑ what i saw deeply saddened me. These children had no chairs, desks or good uniforms. They sit on pot-holed floors in dilapidated classrooms with blackboards that have definitely seen better days. Watching these children plead with the government to come to their aid απϑ provide a better learning environment for them broke my heart.
I am presently working with an NGO that focuses on education in the rural communities, so i can confidently say that this is obtainable in most rural communities in Nigeria today. All this is because our priorities as a nation has been so misplaced!
I am more than certain that this wasn't the dreams our heroes past, Zik, Awolowo, Balewa, Enahoro, Opara etc had for the beloved country they fought for.
It is a known fact that performances of students in national examinations like WASSCE, NECO απϑ JAMB have taken a nose dive. Results obtained at these exams have been very disappointing. More failures are recorded with each passing year especially in math απϑ english. Students are finding it difficult to scale through this examinations each year.
In 2012, only 37.92% of the 413,206 candidates that sat for WASSCE obtained credits in 5 subjects including math απϑ english. In other words, about 62% failed to secure credits in 5 subjects including math απϑ english. What do these figures tell u?
Each year, huge monies are budgeted for education with no tangible results. We have slept on this issue for long. We have talked about this too much but to deaf ears. We must begin to ask questions απϑ demand answers! Why is this sector failing us? And more so after billions has been sunk in? What are the monies used for really? Why is there no result? Why aren't we holding those in charge accountable? Why can't every Nigerian child enjoy the right to good quality education in this 21st century?
As we celebrate "children's' day" and i cannot help but wonder what exactly we are celebrating. Children we haven't been fair to? Children who can't boast of free good education after 52yrs of independence and 14yrs of democracy rule ? A rotten,decaying απϑ failing educational system is all they have.
Many of our leaders attended these public schools απϑ came out as good products. I myself is a beneficiary of the public school system from Basic primary school up to university. It will be a thing of joy to see our own children benefit from a system that once worked too.
I have some suggestions for the all stake holders that I believe will help revive our public schools:
•Concerted effort towards a holistic. review of our education policies should be encouraged. Policy makers should come out with policies that will improve the system απϑ benefit the people they are serving.
•Instead of increasing the number of private universities απϑ secondary schools in the country which the children of the poor have no access to, the government should look towards improving the quality and standards of these public schools so no child is left out.
•Government should equip the public schools adequately with modern infrastructure απϑ create a good maintenance and development structure in other to revive the healthy competition between public απϑ private schools that was once was.
•Also ensure that qualified teachers are employed απϑ that these schools are not understaffed.
Finally, i will say i am happy with what the governments of Imo state απϑ Lagos state are doing to improve public schools in their states. But of course more can απϑ should be done especially in our rural communities. The advancement of any society lies in the education of their children.
It is possible for every Nigerian child to go to school and get a good education!
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