Education on the verge of collapse —PTA Sec
By Kehinde Oluwatayo
Stakeholders in the education sector in Nigeria have been enjoined to play their roles effectively and save the nation’s education from collapse.
The Secretary of Parents, Teachers Association in Ondo State, Dr Toyin Olobayo who made the remarks during an interview with The Hope stressed that education in the country is on the verge of collapse.
Olobayo who noted that the situation in public schools today is disheartening, stated that it may get to an irredeemable level if nothing is done to arrest the situation.
His words: “If nothing is done about the state of education in this country in the next five years, we may not be able to salvage the situation again.
“There are some primary schools you get to even in Ondo state here that you will find only the headteacher and a teacher. Tell me how the two of them can give quality education to the pupils there.
“The secondary is not better. There is shortage of staff in these public schools. Majority of our schools don’t have security guards. Infrastructure is another serious problem. So there is the need for stakeholders to urgently rise to the situation.
Olobayo who called on parents of public schools’ students to be ready to work with government to give their children quality education suggested that there should be an upward review of school fees so that there can be enough money to fund education.
“What is being paid as school fees is too small. All of us know now that government alone cannot fund education. Parents must be ready to work with government to develop education.
“There are some private primary schools who pay 10,000 per term and that is N30,000 per section. Even if public school cannot pay that they should be able to pay half of it. If we want to continue to wait for government, things may get to an irredeemable stage,” he said.
He called on philanthropists to assist the government by putting money in education and lift the sector out of the situation it found itself.
He also called on government to increase budgetary allocation to education, employ more teachers, and pay salaries as at when due to boost the morale of teachers.