Stakeholders are divided over how education fared in the outgoing year. To some, it did well; to others, it did not live up to par.
With 2013 ending next week, teachers, students, school owners and parents have taken a look at how education fared in the outgoing year. The sector had its ups and downs, especially downs, which stakeholders are urging the government to reverse for the story to change next year.
ASUU strike
The five-month Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike ranks as the most impactful education event of 2013. ASUU was on strike between July 1 and downed tools December 17 to agitate for the implementation of the 2009 ASUU/FGN Agreement, part of which seeks improved funding for universities.
For the proprietress of Cardinal School in Idowu-Egba, a Lagos suburb, Mrs Nkechi Ohakawa, the strike period cannot be recovered.
“Well, our children were at home for five-months, so I do not know how else one can rate it (2013). I do not even know how they will gain the five-months even if they are rushed,” she said.
Badmus Okeowo, a 500-Level Electrical Engineering student of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State is sad that the five-month closure has resulted in him spending an extra year in school because of no fault of his. He blamed the Federal Government for the protracted strike and rates education low this year.
Okeowo said: “We are hoping that we will resume fully by January 6, next year and commence teaching immediately because I am tired of the whole thing. I do not have carry over and I do not know why I should be given one year extra. The government just decided to add one year to the years I should spend in the university and it is so painful.”
Painful as the strike may have been, however, a lecturer at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Dr Farouk Muhammad Tambawal, said the strike was justifiable and achieved its aim so was positive.
“Our fight with the government was legitimate and a just course in the interest of stability, standards, responsibilities and progress in the sector’s institutions. It was in good faith and not to stagnate the system,” he said.
Assessing the strike in the light of the improved funding for infrastructure that ASUU has been able to secure for public universities (N200 billion in the next five years to improve infrastructure), Peter Okebukola, a Professor of Science Education and former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), said Nigerians can take solace in the fact that public universities will now be better equipped.
“You know that we had this strike for almost half of the year by the ASUU but I tell you at the end of the day, no victor no vanquished, and we have all learnt our lesson and a lot of money will now go into the university system. I foresee in the next five years, tremendous improvements in terms of infrastructure and human capacity development in our university based on the funds that have been injected into the system,” he said.
Anglican Bishop of Amichi Diocese, Anambra State, Right Reverend Ephraim Ikeakor, described the ASUU strike as a great achievement needed to improve the education sector.
”You cannot have an interest in what you are not a stakeholder. ASUU has achieved the most important thing in any nation which is appropriate funding of the education sector. Any country with a weak education system is not fit to be regarded as a country because a strong educational base stands countries out from the crowd. And any country without strong educational base is heading to collapse,” he said.
For the strike to lead to long-term gains, however, the Anglican Bishop of Amichi Diocese, Anambra State, Right Reverend Ephraim Ikeakor, said the Implementation Committee of the Needs Assessment of Nigerian Public Universities must ensure the proper utilization of the funds for stipulated projects in the universities. He warned that if left in the hands of politicians the money would be wasted.
Poor policy implementation, funding and corruption
The year ended with many educationists believing that Nigeria has still not got its funding of education right. As a result, they argue that she cannot compete favourably with other countries.
Prof Samson Ayanlaja, Vice-Chancellor, Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State, said the poor performance of the education system due to poor funding and management, reverberates beyond the shores of Nigeria, and negatively impacts her ratings internationally.
He said: “About three months ago, I gave a lecture in Botswana on Government Funding, Infrastructural Development and Effective Teaching as determinants in Global Employability: The Nigeria Situation. After my lecture, some of the questions I was asked by my international audience were that Nigeria has 152, 000, 000 people, 129 universities and not a single one is mentioned as one of the best in the world; whereas, in South Africa with 45-50 million people with much fewer universities, their universities are mentioned among the world’s best.
“How would I have answered? They know; they have read papers and online news. It is a big shame for a country as rich as Nigeria. The whole budget for education in South Africa is more than the entire budget for Nigeria. There are no infrastructures, laboratories and other things in the university system are not up to date. It is so unfortunate. How can we develop research and people that will compete globally? In Nigeria there are so many jobs and so much money but nobody is doing the jobs, while a few people are spending the money. Nigeria is not focused or organised.”
Malam Bello Abubakar Sokoto, the Chairman, College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto chapter, also faulted the funding formula employed by the state and Federal Government.
“Funding is still a source of concern, especially for primary and secondary schools – with the exception of tertiary institutions like ours which generate little funds from the admission exercise. A principal of a secondary school who ordinarily should be able to maintain and rehabilitate sanitary facilities cannot do that until he or she goes to the state or federal government to request for fund to do just that. This is not supposed to be so in a well organised system,” he said.
Like Ayanlaja, he is sad that 2013 ended without one of Nigeria’s schools in the league of the top 200.
“It is quite disappointing to note that with the country’s manpower and resources, none of its university measures up among the first 200 in Africa and the world. Today, you find our citizens – students and lecturers, going for higher degrees in neighbouring Ghana, Togo, Niger republic, Sierra- Leone for studies yet we call our country the giant of Africa; how realistic is that placement?
“There is decay in the entire sector occasioned by poor funding and inadequate infrastructure, coupled with the glaring unfriendly learning conditions or environment, culminating into poor standards,” he said.
A private school proprietor in the north, who prefers not to be named, said standards of quality are driven by polices set by government and regulatory bodies or agencies. He however lamented that these standards are not maintained because those employed to do so are inferior.
“Those saddled with the responsibilities are deficient hence the products of the system remain poor because of the obvious lapses at the foundation stage. In a number of cases where you allow unqualified teachers who are technically deficient, having only the paper to take up appointment, the end result is that they cannot defend the task of imparting knowledge to students or pupils,” he said.
Similarly, Vice-Chancellor, Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), in Okitipupa, Ondo State, Prof Tolu Odugbemi said quality control officers do not play their roles because they place self above national development.
He said: “Nigeria is at a cross road. Instead of our present educational system helping to propel us forward in development, we face a gloomy picture of decay because of wrong ideas and teachings that made “self” instead of the “society” as a centre of development. The over-development of “self” in positive ways would not have harmed the nation but the greed attached to “self-development” has. There are supervisory bodies (School Boards, Governing Councils, Committees on education, science, health, technology etc.) set up to monitor growth and development of education in our schools and institutions of higher education. Some members of such supervisory bodies are generally uninformed of their duties, and responsibilities attached to their offices. Some work very hard for excellence while some see being in such bodies as opportunities to ‘make it’. Projects meant to be supervised by their supervisory bodies become ‘projects’ they execute with nothing to show for it at the end of the day. Even the funds for execution of projects are usually thought to be ‘money for sharing’. Deceit, insincerity and abuse of office are rampant. Harassment of ‘those not playing ball’ is the order of the day. Corruption is an emergency to be tackled sincerely in Nigeria.”
Efforts by states
When considered individually, some state government got praises from various quarters for their investments in education in 2013.
A student of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Francis Chukwuemeka Ekpone, praised Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State for targeting the actualization of the MDG Education for All goal by 2015. He said the government has encouraged youths to go back to school by deliberate actions aimed at encouraging education.
Hafsat Sa’idu, a science student, also lauded the Sokoto State government’s free education policy and rehabilitation of facilities.
“I will seize the opportunity to commend and score the state government high for introducing free basic education with reasonable infrastructure and facilities.
However, she lamented the poor quality due to poor teachers.
“I will say that the quality is low due largely to poor quality teaching. Some of the teachers abscond from school,” she said.
In Cross River State, teachers and parents celebrated the improved performance in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) this year, which placed the state sixth in Nigeria. Last year, the state came seventh.
Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Eyo Nsa Itam, said the state government is really making efforts to improve education and results are already beginning to manifest.
He however spoke of the need to improve the welfare of teachers to motivate them to work harder.
“Generally in my opinion, the government is trying. We are doing our best. Percentage pass in WAEC and other exams have improved. Imoke came with lean resources, but the governor has been able to put in his bit by renovating the schools and trying to make sure that the children have sound and conducive atmosphere.
“But more still needs to be done. The teachers should be given tax rebate, as it was before, to motivate them. Also rural allowances should be restored. They should also pay the 16.2 per cent Teachers Specific Allowance we agreed. No matter how small, teachers would be happy,” he said.
A parent, Mrs Florence Etim, also praised the Imoke-led government’s investment in education but seeks better remuneration for teachers.
“It appears the government is determined to improve the educational sector through building and renovating of schools, equipping laboratories, training teachers and provision of books among others.
“But I think the government should still do more in terms teacher allowances, poor salaries; delayed salaries, especially primary school teachers. I also strongly believe the teachers should not be taxed.
“I commend the government but they should not relax as there is a whole lot more still to be done. I cannot say we have even achieved anything, but there has been an improvement and it is still important to note that,” she said.
In Ondo State, there are divergent views on the government’s effort in education sector this year.
While majority are commending Governor Olusegun Mimiko for his commitment in rebranding the sectors, others highlighted his shortcomings.
A primary school teacher, Mrs. Christiana Oluboana said she is highly impressed with the inauguration of mega schools, which she believes will help in bridging the gap between the rich and the poor.
“What this mega idea is all about is that you know in Nigeria, poor children who are in the majority in our society cannot afford to attend all these costly schools to have access to modern education.
“But with this mega schools designed like modern schools, poor children will now have the same opportunities as the children of the rich.
“For instance, in the Mega School, computers are provided for the pupils, and this will enable them to have background knowledge of computer, compared to our days, when most of us could not operate computer just because we were not taught at the elementary stage. I think for this year our education sector has improved a lot,” she said.
But, a teacher of Oyemekun Grammar school, Mrs. Aina Omojola believes more attention should be dedicated to the sector. She based her argument on the newly introduced e-examination by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) which will take off fully by 2015, saying government should start preparing students so that they would be ICT literate before the deadline.
Omojola said: “These internet browsing devices are not strange to our children again. Some of them browse with their phones, chat with friends on social media; but there is still need for the government to train them, particularly our secondary school pupils who are not opportune to attend the newly constructed mega schools so that computers will not be new to them.
“Since the idea was launched by JAMB in Ondo State in the middle of this year, I expected the government to have keyed into the system. We are yet to hear from the governor on his plan for this new system and how our students will be brought to that level.”
In Lagos, many private school proprietors praised the government for renovating public schools and bringing them up to standard. One of them, Mrs Chioma Ogunka, who runs Joyceville College, Badore Road, Ajah, said the government has also improved its monitoring of private schools.
“I will say the education sector has fared well because there was increased government intervention in the area of regulation and supervision. There are several measures government has taken to make private schools sit up. They have set up self-evaluation groups and the quality assurance unit; they have organized workshops to tell us what they want to see in schools. If they don’t see it, they will downgrade the school’s rating. The government is also improving its schools and punishing principals that engage in malpractices, which tells us that they can come after us if we do not perform,” she said.
