By Kehinde Oluwatayo
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The Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools ASUSS in Ondo State, Comrade Tajudeen Balogun, has called for the revival of the 6-3-3-4 educational system in the country to galvanise the nation’s economy.
Balogun who decried the emphasis on certificate over and above practical experience, noted that institutions in the country will continue to churn out products without skills who will not be able to defend their certificates.
Balogun who said the economy of the nation will continue to go down if the problem is not addressed, added that no nation can rise above its level of education.
“I belong to the state examination malpractice and ethics committee. It is a disciplinary committee in the Ministry of Education. We go round schools during external examinations to monitor and ensure students don’t cheat both in public and primary schools.
“This is one of the measures government put in place to curb examination malpractices. But government needs to do more especially by regulating the activities of the so called educational consults who are all over the place,” he said.
Balogun stressed that the so called educational consults move students to neighbouring states to write examinations when they found out that Ondo state is tough for those who want to cheat.
He said there is need for collaboration among states’ ministries of education to stop students who did not start JSS one in their state from coming in to write examination except those whose case is understandable.
“These students and their parents need to be given orientation because as you try to block them, they look for other means of cutting corner.
“What is the essence of having nine As in WASSCE or NECO and you can’t gain admission to higher institutions because you cannot perform well in post UTME.
“We know that some of them find their way around it, gain admission and come out through whatever means. These are the bad doctors in our hospitals. They are the engineers who cannot remove nut from bolt and they are the teachers that cannot deliver,” he explained.
While saying Nigeria places too much emphasis on certificate, Balogun stated that 6-3-3-4 system of education should be allowed to run efficiently.
He added that students who want to go into entrepreneurship training should be encouraged as well as those who want pursue academics.
He also advised examination bodies to play their part in curbing the menace, adding that question papers and answers are already on the internet most of the time before the examination.
