Improving education standard in Nigeria
By Maria Famakinwa
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Education is one of the most important investments a country can make in its future. It provides the foundation for a stable and functioning country. No country can achieve sustainable economic development without substantial investment in human capital. Education raises people’s productivity and creativity. It promotes entrepreneurship and technological advances.
Nobody can argue the fact that education is the bedrock of national development. Any nation-state that is keen on and desirous of achieving sustainable economic growth and technological development should place much premium on solving the challenges of its educational system.
As important as education is in uplifting a country, it is yet to be given the necessary attention in Nigeria judging by the incessant Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU)strikes and poor performance of students in external examinations. The decline in the standard of Nigeria’s educational system should give any well meaning citizen sleepless nights. The last results released by The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), in last month revealed that 30, 954 candidates representing 42.16 percent obtained credit and above in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics which is not the best for a country that is aiming higher. Some stakeholders shared their thoughts with The Hope on the way forward.
A retired school principal, Mr Lanrewaju Olawoyin, who blamed insecurity and other social vices in the country on the falling standard of education, noted that if education failed, other things would also crumble. He posited that for the standard of education to be improving, the National Policy on Education must be reviewed.
His words:”The education sector in Nigeria needs to be restructured and all possibilities involved with taking remedial actions to raise the standard of education should be explored. We can understudy other countries educational system for comparison and learn new methods and principles to solve the quagmire. We must borrow from other countries’ ideas to solve the lingering education challenges in the country,” he said.
A lecturer who did not want his name in print, lamented the impact of the falling education standard on the nation and students. The man who called on the Federal and State governments to do all they could to repositon the country’s education standard stressed the need for improved welfare package for teachers. He said, “Government should do all it can to motivate teachers and lectures by paying their salaries as and when due. If you take a look at how strike is affecting educational standard in the country, you will understand better why standard continues to fall.
“If Nigeria must move forward educationally and be ready to compete favourably with other countries, Federal annual budget for education must increase. The educational system of the country is suffering from decades of underfunding. It is therefore necessary for the government to design a workable plan towards funding education. This will help to address lack of educational infrastructure and teaching aids among others.”
Another lecturer, Mrs Bolajo Adekoya, also appealed to the Federal Government to prioritize education at all levels, in order to have quality and qualitative education in the country. According to her, incessant strikes dwindled academic performance of students. She said, “as learning is suspended for a long period, students’ reading ability fall which also affect knowledge acquired due to lack of application and reinforcement.
“Truth be told, our education standard cannot improve if lecture keep going on strike. Do you know how long the university doors were shut due to inability of the Federal Government to honour its agreement? As I speak with you, there is plan to embark on another strike if the government remain adamant to lecturers demand. A nation that want to develop its education will give it utpomost priority. Well, let’s be hopeful that if new regime comes on board, education will be given its pride of place.”
To improve the education standard in the country, the lecturer said that the Federal and State governments should motivate lecturers to go for research. She added, “There is need for education conferences to be held regularly across the country, so as to deliberate and brainstorm, in order to find lasting and acceptable solutions to the falling standard of education in the country.”
A school teacher and parent, Mrs Folake Ajiboro, who explained that she was worried about the falling standard of education in the country called on parents and relevant stakeholders to go back to the drawing board and restore the country’s education lost glory. The woman who disclosed that it has never been this bad added that the low performance of students in external examinations was a clarion call for the country to find permanent solutions to its educational challenges.
She said,”all the stakeholders in the country’s educational sector must play their part at repositioning the country’s education. The government, parents and students have roles to play to revive the dying educational system. Parents must be ready to give their children best education by providing them with necessary textbooks to aid learning. Students on their own must see education as the best legacy they can acquire and give it all seriousness.
“Schools should be equipped and staffed by the government to compete with the global standard. There should also be regular review of schools’ curricular to adopt new age topics. Subjects that enhance innovativeness and creativity should be introduced across board. Schools, colleges and universities across the country should adopt curricular and syllabuses that are tested, effective and can compete favourably with international standard. The curricular and syllabus of particular concern is the primary school syllabus which children learn at their tender age.”
The teacher, who also called for re-orientation and re-education of teachers, students and parents on the need to shun examination malpractice for improved academic standard, observed that most students hardly read for excellence but instead depend on cheating during examinations. While calling on parents to discourage their wards against any form of examination malpractice she said, “Due to rising cost of fees and other materials, students and even their parents go to any length to ensure that they are not held back in required subjects by indulging in examination malpractice which automatically discourages students from reading. We always pride ourselves as the giant of Africa and this must be seen in every sector, including education.
“Our leaders should understand that education is very critical and pivotal to the development of the country. Education should take its pride of place in Nigeria, as only skillful and knowledgeable people can drive our national development,” she said.