What causes fall of educational system in Nigeria?.
How can we help our children to have best and sustainable Education ?
No nation can rise above the quality of teachers in the nation....
Professional teachers are nation builders, because they mould life of young generation in the society, they inculcate the highlighted norms, behaviours, skills, knowledge and innovations in the Recommended Curriculum of Education for primary Education, Secondary Education and tertiary Education by the Federal ministry of education in the country. The teachers equip the students with life coping skills, scientific knowledge , creativity, innovative skills, and prepare the young generation for future challenges. Teachers refine talents of the students in their care and help them to achieve their dreams by inculcating good orientation and positive thoughts.
Teachers determine social life, political life, economic life and religious life of the students in the society....The quality of a teacher is determined by the performance and interest of his students in learning and how they cope with challenging issues in life "
The quality of teachers matters in achievement, academic performance and future career development of every student that passes through them. In fact, it is the most important school-related factor influencing student achievement. However, teacher compensation represents a significant public investment: in 2002 alone, the United States invested $192 billion in teacher pay and benefits. This certainly refined Educational system in USA..
Most of the Nigerians will agree with me that the below listed factors are the major reasons why Educational system is falling every day in Nigeria :
Examination malpractice Poor or Lack of teaching aids and materials Unqualified teachers and personnels Poor management Poor Facilities and Infrastructure Poor welfare of teachers in Private Institution. High poverty rate in the country
Nelson Mandela said " if you want to destroy a nation, ruin the Educational system of that nation "
When youths of a nation pass through well functional system of education, this will surely reduce the crime rate and promote peace in the nation, because any one that is starved with good Educational system, quality teacher and functional curriculum will certainly suffer intellectual malnutrition, stagnation and atrophy..
Carelessness of Nigeria government in handling Educational system and provision of good curriculum delivery led to the inception of private schools in Nigeria. This created avenue for some business men and women as stakeholders to establish profit oriented schools, with the mission to collaborate and help government in provision of qualitative and sound Education. Therefore, the government gives them approval, provides National policy on Education and monitors their work through quality assurance scheme through agency such as UBEB/SUBEB, NUC etc.
However, most of the private schools lost focus on qualitative and sustainable Education delivery to the young ones in their academic society, now shifted the basic focus on "how to make huge profit and good results for their student in WAEC , NECO and NABTEB with all cost" . Thereby allowing examination malpractice, giving double promotion to students in order to satisfy their customers (parents). To reduce cost of managing schools, some of the private school owners will hire unqualified teachers and novice, because they can't afford payment of qualified and professional teachers, and some of them that hire qualified teachers subject them to poor welfare and long working hours without compensation, sack them anytime they like and never provide proper teaching aids for them. They will command the teachers in their school to write for their students during External exam such as WAEC,NECO,BECE and NABTEB.
However, it is noted that because of the poor working condition , lack of in-service training opportunity, poor welfare and others, this made the National union of teachers (NUT) to deny the teachers in private schools the access to the Professional Union. It is also believed that most of the teachers in private schools ,even the qualified ones lack expertise, why ? ..They are not members of any professional bodies such as Association of Social studies teacher , Association of Science teacher of Nigeria , Mathematics Association of Nigeria, Computer teacher Society of Nigeria Association of Economic teacher etc and , because they lack opportunity for capacity building and professional development.Hence NUT labelled them as teachers without expertise.
Also, because of the promotional package and corruption in public schools too, some of the teachers will engage in examination malpractice, extorting money from the students to get them special exam center . Even though they are experts in their discipline, but some of them lack diligence and dedication, because they are not closely monitored by the government agency .
Teachers are role models , mentors and life coach. Hence, their contribution is significant in the life of their students. Research and findings show that a well trained and qualified teacher produced from College of Education and department of education in University is a tool to Build a nation and promote social and Economic development of the nation. Israel, China, India etc understood this and set basic education of teachers and in-service training as priority .Now Indian and China are boosting of quality Educational system and providing opportunity for the less prividge in any part of the world to acquire sustainable development Education by joining league of prestigious Schools to provide sound and sustainable Education blended with computer Education .
In conclusion, a teacher that is involving in examination malpractice knows very well that he or she is joining hands with wayward parents and School owners to destroy the brighter future of the students and destroying the society at large,then stop it and coach your students very well for them to pass External Exam.
A school that provides Poor facilities, teaching aids or Lack teaching aids should endeavour to do the needful in order to teach the students very well and expose them to proper continuous assessment and shun examination malpractice. The private school owners should hire qualified teachers and personnels , enhance their welfare and their Working condition .
However, private school owners should step up in their management and embrace 21st century innovation in School management, to empower and prepare students of their schools for 21st century careers and help them to compete positively with their mates in labour market, and be employable in the future. Government should Provide good Facilities and Infrastructure in the public school, improve welfare of teachers to discourage examination malpractice.
Comments