Rita Oyiboka
Even as July dawned, secondary students across Nigeria geared up for the theory/objective phase of the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), a marathon of exams that will test their mettle.
But the lingering shadow of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results refuses to budge. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) bombshell in May left the nation aghast: a staggering 77% of candidates crashed and burned, with a paltry 8,401 scoring a respectable 300 and above, while a whopping 1,402,490 struggled to clear the 200 hurdle.
The SSCE journey ahead will be a marathon of blood, sweat, and tears. Will the students rise to the challenge, or will they fail or better yet, has the system failed them?
Even as these scholars continue their endeavour to prove the pen mightier than the sword, the average Nigerian is left wondering what state the educational system will be in the next 5 to ten years.
With a bowl of tomato competing with the price of gold in the market and the minimum wage shrinking faster than an earthworm under theharmattan sun, many worry how they would be able to afford to send their children to school and if even it is worth it with these results that could make the eyes bleed.
It’s no secret that the average Gen Z’s attention span is shorter than a goldfish’s memory, and social media addiction has become the ultimate nemesis of academic excellence. Others attribute the root cause of poor academic performance to the quality of education, especially in public schools nationwide.No wonder parents are willing to fork out exorbitant fees for private schools. After all, a good education is priceless but what about the millions of students who are not trust fund babies? Moreover, with the goldfish attention span, even an expensive education is no longer a guarantee for academic success.
But the real question is, how deep does this educational quagmire go, and what are the solutions to rescue a generation of students drowning in a sea of mediocrity? And who better to shed light on this crisis than one who has spent decades navigating the treacherous waters of our education system?
Teachers Leaving Classroom For Ministry Position – Ugbah
In an interview with The Pointer, a veteran educator and former Principal of St Patrick College, Asaba, Delta State, Sir Emmanuel Ugbah shared his insights on the decline in JAMB scores and educational performance. “Several factors contribute to students’ poor performance in external exams. The learning environment, student preparedness, curriculum quality, and teacher effectiveness are all crucial. I personally experienced the negative impact of a mathematics teacher with poor communication skills. Effective teaching is crucial, as it enables students to excel regardless of question format.
Ugbah emphasized the importance of informed government policies, noting that many officials are confused. “In this digital era, students are distracted by phones and rarely read. Unlike in the past, when students compared novels, they now compare phones. Many schools lack libraries or up-to-date books. Previously, students were encouraged to read and awarded for doing so, but this is no longer the case.
“In Nigeria, the education sector is plagued by policy somersaults, with new administrations frequently reversing course without a clear roadmap for implementation. This inconsistency has resulted in a dire state of affairs, where many schools lack the necessary infrastructure and qualified personnel.
“Government schools often struggle with inadequate facilities, leaving many science students without even a glimpse of a test tube, while private schools may prioritize results over rigour, circumventing due process to achieve success,” he said.
He criticized parents who prioritize shortcuts, bribing others to write exams for their children instead of encouraging reading and extramural lessons. Ugbah also highlighted the inconsistencies in government policies, the lack of infrastructure in government schools, and unqualified personnel in private schools. “Teachers deserve encouragement and competitive pay, matching their increased service years from 60 to 65.
“Good teachers are leaving the classroom for ministry positions, only to return to head schools at level 16. The government must make teaching attractive to retain talented educators and equip schools with modern facilities and libraries.
Ugbah stressed that policies must prioritize academic progress, addressing the decline in educational performance urgently. “Education is the foundation of society and should not be treated as a political campaign strategy,” he said.
When the JAMB results were out, and the verdict was clear: private schools reigned supreme. Not a single public school made it to the top ten list of high scorers (320 and above). But, before we jump to conclusions, let’s unpack the stats.
With a vastly larger student body, public schools are bound to have more students scoring 150 and above. However, when we zoom in on the crème de la crème (the top 0.5% scoring 300 and above), public schools are conspicuously absent. This isn’t surprising, given the global trend: better funding equals better education.
It’s no secret that private schools have been leveraging technology since the early 2000s, while public schools are still struggling to catch up.
Nigeria’s Education Stuck In Chalkboard System – Umeana
Dr. M. Umeana, a teacher with nearly two decades of experience, shared her insights on the decline of education in Nigeria attributing it to the poor educational system especially in public schools. “The unfavourable environment for both students and staff is a significant issue. I’ve worked in schools lacking essential facilities like Biology labs, making teaching and learning challenging.
“ To adapt, I use visual aids and accessible resources as substitutes for missing practical materials. Nigeria lags in adopting technological advancements, unlike countries like South Africa. Many countries have progressed, while Nigeria remains stuck in the chalkboard and whiteboard education system. The government must address this and integrate technology into our educational system,” and said.
Dr. Umeana emphasized the need for standardized, comfortable classrooms with quality furniture in public schools, noting that private schools often surpass public schools in this regard. She stressed the importance of better incentives to make the teaching profession more attractive and draw people to it. “The recent trend of international institutions recruiting Nigerian teachers highlights the need to enhance the appeal of working in the education sector domestically. We shouldn’t rely on external sources to make the profession appealing; instead, we should make it attractive domestically, encouraging more individuals to pursue and contribute to the field,” she said.
Education’s holy trinity – government, teachers, and students – are often blamed for the system’s failures, but parents are equally culpable. Who can forget the recent UTME scandal where a father impersonated his son? This brazen act exposes the rot in our moral fabric.
In Nigeria, where ‘anything goes’ as long as money talks, it’s no shock that parents, supposed moral beacons, are perpetrating fraud. They ferry kids to ‘miracle centers’ or hire exam mercenaries, undermining education’s integrity. This illegality fuels intellectual decay and academic decline.
When parents, the supposed moral compass, engage in unethical practices, it’s a bleak sign that our society is rotting from the top down. The irony is that some parents would rather have their children master internet fraud than master math or literature.
Students No Longer complete SS3 Due To Parental Pressure – Azuka
This misguided prioritization is evident in the way parents push their children to skip stages of education, as observed by Mrs. Betty Azuka, a mother of three secondary school students. She notes that students no longer complete Senior Secondary School 3 due to parental pressure, further highlighting how parents’ questionable values and priorities contribute to the decline in academic performance.
According to her, “As soon as they enter SS1, parents urge them to take WAEC and other external exams. They push their children to skip classes and advance to levels they’re not ready for, considering their age and maturity.
“Such parents prioritize university admission at 16, disregarding emotional maturity. They engage in unethical practices, such as taking them to ‘miracle centers’ and paying for expo lists compiled by teachers who are also parents.”
This unethical behaviour is not limited to parents, as teachers also play a significant role in perpetuating academic dishonesty. For instance, during recent monitoring of the NECO by The Pointer at the Word of Faith Group of School, an external invigilator, Mrs. Helen Agbate, expressed her dismay at the persistent interference from teachers who attempted to enter the exam hall to supervise and even instruct students on what to write. This highlights a disturbing trend where educators, who should be upholding academic integrity, are instead complicit in undermining it.
Reviving Public Schools: A Call to Action
Amidst the dismal UTME scores, a glimmer of hope emerged as nine students from Delta State’s International Junior and High School, Sapele, achieved a remarkable 300 marks, joining hundreds of others who excelled nationwide.
However, the UTME results, just-concluded WAEC, and ongoing NECO SSCE should sound a loud alarm for parents and educators alike. It’s time for parents to step up and fulfil their roles as primary guardians and educators.
While our public schools are stuck in a coma, begging for a revival, from the classroom level to the Ministry of Education and even the hallowed halls of the Aso Rock, it’s time to hit the defibrillator and shock our educational system back to life. We need a radical overhaul, a revolution that propels our schools from mediocrity to excellence, and sets our students on par with their international peers.
Nigeria can’t afford to lag behind in education, especially when we need top talent to drive development. The performances of students must serve as a wake-up call to shake off our complacency and propel us towards a brighter future, starting with the classroom.
