Undoubtedly, Jeremy Bentham’s (1748 – 1832) utilitarian theory is peradventure the most appropriate for a dispassionate appraisal of new education policy in Oyo State. The British immortal philosopher postulated that measuring public policy is best anchored on the “greatest happiness principle”. That is in his “utilitarianism”, public policy should be targeted at the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people in any human collectivity.
By happiness, he understood a predominance of ‘pleasure’ over ‘pain’. In essence, each policy has its own pro and cons. The beauty of any policy is that larger members of the society targeted by the policy should be satisfied by it. A public policy no matter how robust may not be wholly acceptable to all but large chunk should have heave a sign of relieve with public policy aimed at achieving public good.
It is within that context that this piece explicates Oyo State’s policy thrust on education. There are eight major rubrics in the policy as enunciated by the state government. Out of the eight, two are very contentious by the irreverent critics of Ajimobi administration cum the opposition elements in the state. They are the introduction of a thousand naira development levy in public secondary schools and outright stoppage of payment of WAEC registration fees. These two elements appear like a policy shock to the down-trodden more so in a state which is reputed to be the intellectual capital of Nigeria.
The fundamental question is why the need to re-jig education sector? It is an open secret so to say, that the sector is nothing to write home about. It takes a courageous and patriotic governor to attempt a general overhaul. This is what the Senator Ajimobi-led administration seeks to do. The empirical analysis below suffices to explain why the new policy is imperative.
It is instructive to note that between 2007 till date, the state government has expended a total sum of N3.2 billion naira on public examinations. With that, the highest pass rate ever was in 2011 with 20.55%. In 2007, 52,551 registered for WASCE with entry fee of N3,250.00 per candidate. Government paid a total sum of N170,790,150.00. Only 3,706 could manage to get five credits and above. Percentage pass was 7.05%! Government lost N158,745,650.00. In 2008, 55,878 candidates registered with entry fee of N3,500.00. Just 5,608 could get five credits and above with 10.04% pass rate. Government forfeited N175,945,000 on the failures. In 2009, the bad trend continued. Out of 52,484 that registered, the pass rate was 14.11%. In 2010, 52,448 candidates registered and only 7,357 could manage to pass, that is, 14.03% pass rate. By 2011 when this administration came on board, 60,000 candidates registered, 12,327 passed with five credits and above which translated to 20.55% pass rate which was to be the highest ever!
With population explosion and desire for education, more candidates registered in 2012, with as many as 67,786, the highest figure since 2007 which is under our purview, but 9,973 only too could pass WASCE at 14.71% pass rate. In 2013, 55,432 registered with 10,285 securing five credits and above, i.e. 18.55% pass rate. The story was not really different in 2014 and 2015 with 54,862 and 59,945 respectively registered with WAEC.
Nevertheless, if between 2007 till date, Oyo State WASCE candidates have not recorded 25% pass rate talk less of 50%, automatically, the sector requires general overhaul. To do this, the state government took a holistic view of the situation. This is done by targeting students/pupils, parents, teachers and infrastructure. Long before the 2015 elections, a total of 5,300 teaching and non-teaching staff were recruited to redress the anomaly. But the sector requires well-thought out policy beyond mere recruitment of teachers.
In its quest to reposition and further enhance quality education through concerted efforts of all stakeholders in Oyo State, the administration of Governor Ajimobi in his second term has taken some bold measures. Few of them include enforcement of 80% attendance for all students to ensure good performance in external and internal examinations. Students who fail to make 80% attendance may not be eligible for promotion examinations. Still targeting students and pupils, automatic promotions in all public secondary schools have been cancelled forthwith. Promotion is, henceforth, to be based on merit. This is to ensuring that quality products are graduated from public schools. Not only that, extra-mural classes will be re-invigorated for JSS 3 and SS3 students in all public secondary schools to add quality time to the teaching period.
Nevertheless, the state government, having properly carried along all the stakeholders in education sector most especially Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPS) and Association of Heads of Primary Schools among others decided to involve the parents effectively in the care of their children and wards. Hence, a sum of N3,000.00 education levy was agreed upon by all which could be paid per term on a thousand naira instalment basis, to compliment government efforts vis-à-vis provision of teaching aids and infrastructural facilities. Parents and guardians too are to equally bear the burden of payment of WAEC registration fees. No doubt, with the involvement of parents, they should be more passionate about what the future of their siblings is in their educational pursuit.
Back to the students, government also makes it mandatory that they pass mock examinations to be conducted on final year students to ensure that only serious and quality students are presented for final external examinations. The state government also directed that the use of GSM phones be banned during school hours. Much as GSM has value for learning, the abuse is prevalent among the students and pupils.
Perhaps the hallmark of the policy thrust on education is the desire to by the government to partner effectively with the interested stakeholders who may desire either to take over completely the running of their schools, that is, old boys and girls or missionary founded schools including community schools where the community-owner is keenly interested. It is high time for the government to promote the participation of more investors at the secondary school level so that better products get to the tertiary level.
In the final analysis, government cannot afford to be complacent in the education sector. The rot over the years is now telling with debilitating concomitant effect on the sector. It is pathetic that the rate of failure is ‘criminally’ high. The negative effect is that more products of private schools get admitted into tertiary institutions. This is very dangerous for the society. It may lead to social stratification whereby the children of the poor may not be able to compete with the affluence in a society that needs to pursue egalitarianism on virtually all facets of the society. At the end of the day, if implemented with the needed zeal, the policy will definitely lead to the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people.
- Dr. Ojo is the immediate past Special Adviser to Oyo State Government on Political Matters.
