THE FALLING STANDARD OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN
BY
MUDASSIR ALIYU YUNUSA
NTA KADUNA NWC
Education is a gift of nature bestowed to
human being in order to improve their pattern of living. It is an acquaintance,
understanding or awareness about something such as facts, informations,
descriptions, skill acquisition through process of learning, observation or findings/discovery,
it might be theoretical or practical understanding of the subject matter. In
Nigeria education is categorized into basic, intermediary and higher to
compliment 6-3-3-4 system. Primary
education or otherwise called basic education is essentially the first stage of
learning coming before enrollment into secondary school. In most countries, it
is compulsory for children to receive primary education as a basic and the
universal goals are TO achieve basic literacy of reading and writing amongs
children as well as laying solid foundation in science, arithmetic and other disciplines.
Education is a civil right that ought to be
given equally to all citizens by their government, but it is obvious that many government
owned schools (primary, secondary and even some tertiary institutions and
Universities) are neglected and left without proper management, this brought so
many problems including lack of conducive atmosphere of teaching and learning,
unqualified and unprofessional Teaching staff, inadequate teaching materials,
lack of good libraries and coaching units among others are the reasons for the
worst situation public schools are facing, that is why many people including
the stakeholders in education are enrolling their children in private schools
for better learning and studies.
Before, in Nigeria all children are enrolled, taught and trained
together in public schools built for the benefit of the whole community, there
was no issue of disparities amongst the rich and poor. members of the community
irrespective of their social status are all using public schools, that is to
say the totality of children from royal families, powerful business tycoons,
politicians, bureaucrats, masses are collectively converged on the same class
for the purpose of learning in common. This clearly made the education to be
highly qualitative, sound and secured despite the fact that the community depend
solely on public schools. But since the time
our government gave the right to establish private schools the
educational inequality between children of the elites and less privilege citizens
came to limelight, this further compounded the problem associated with public
schools and also serve as a basis of neglecting
the schools. Quite rightly the availability of private schools draw the
line between the rich and the poor, the leaders and the followers, the
bourgeoisies and the proletarians in terms of acquisition of education at all
levels. It is obvious that another reason behind total dwindling of public
schools is non challant attitudes from government, the stakeholders and the parents
in general. The dreadful condition of these schools in terms of structure,
learning process, quality assurance are really disturbing and are what make the
sector to witness tremendous decline in academic performance and discipline, this
attributed to the total dwindling of those schools, while government's action
and inaction with regard to the supervision and management of these schools are
really contributing to this menace. It is obvious that Public schools have been
left unattended, Government and the supervising authorities are not helping
matter, likewise most of the heads in public schools are not concern about the
falling standard of education in their schools, and at the same time many parents
are not curious to know the situation and academic performance of the schools
and their children respectively. Perhaps
this negligence might be because of the fact that majority of the students in
public schools are children of the less-privileged people who cannot afford to
send them to private schools and unfortunately our politicians, Government
officials and even the stakeholders who are in charge of public affairs have
attended these schools but allowed the same schools to relegate and lose
standard to the extend that they are no longer attractive. As for now quite
number of people including the stakeholders in education are shamelessly
sending their children to private schools either in the country or abroad
leaving the masses who forms bulk of the society to use deteriorated schools
with number of problems here and there.
Nevertheless,
our governments (federal, States and Local) are not responding decisively to
the problems but merely bringing some policies with less priority. e g Feeding
of pupils, provision of free school uniform, shuttle bus for students, all are
good initiatives but should come
subsequently after improving the condition of teaching and leaning through
provision of adequate teaching/learning materials, proficient and quality of
teaching staff, improving the welfare of teachers, proper and constant
supervision by the government, supplementary support from parents and communities.
In as much as there is high veracity to change the fortunes of public schools by
the Government they will remain worst forever. Government should make it
mandatory for high ranking class including the President, Governors, Ministers,
National and States assembly members, commissioners, Local Government's
Chairmen, the traditional rulers, Councilors, all Civil Servants etc, to admirably
enroll their children in public schools. This will surely demonstrate the sincerity
of purpose toward repositioning education in Nigeria. No doubt, I am optimistic
that no amount of irregularities, inconsistencies and disparities will be allowed
to happen in public schools.
I want to notify our leaders and stakeholders in
education about the awful condition of public schools, the schools where most
of them passed through and became what they are now and what they are proud of
today. Your Excellencies, distinguished Senators, most honourable ones, members
of judiciary, high ranking civil servants other stakeholders! are you aware that
your former schools are no longer attractive and fascinating? I am appealing you
to crave time and visit one or two public schools in your respective wards or
constituencies and see if you can firmly enroll your children to acquire sound education.
it might be a school that compliment your success and achievement but
deliberately or negligibly abandoned.
Finally,
for Nigeria to register development in all spheres of life, there is higher
need of great resilient and complete overhaul of educational sector to be precise.
thus public primary, secondary and tertiary institutions should be given much
priority by the government.
Mudassir
can be reached through mudassiray@gmail.com
