ARTICLE: EDUCATION IN NIGERIA CHALLENGES,PROSPECTS AND THE WAY FORWARD
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
When the issue of Nigeria educational system today is
raised, the first sets of thoughts that comes to mind are: decline in standard,
deterioration of facilities, examination malpractices, mass promotion syndrome
and the like before any other thing else. This calls for an in-depth study and
analysis aimed at tutoring each and every stakeholders in the education system
on how theiractions and inactions have individually and collectively
contributed to the collapsing state of education in Nigeria. In any case,
knowledge and skill acquisition which education is all about Cannot be over
emphasized. According to the World Bank (1999: 25), “successful development entails
more than investing in physical capital, or closing the gap in capital. It also
entails acquiring and using knowledge as well as closing the gaps In
knowledge”. Thus, to successfully confront the challenges of development, a
developing country must undertake three major tasks:
*
Acquired and adapt global knowledge and create knowledge locally.
*
Invest in human capital to increase the ability to absorb and use knowledge;
and
*
Invest in technologies to facilitate both acquisition and the absorption of
knowledge.
Similarly,
Fafunwa (1979:26) defines education as “the aggregate of all the processes by
which a child or adult develops the abilities, attitudes and other forms of
behaviour which are of positive value to the society in which he lives, that is
to say, it is a process of disseminating knowledge either to ensure social
control or to guarantee rational direction of the society or both.”
Going by these explanation as to what education is, in
relation to the state of education and its process in the country today as well
as the attitude of its providers-Government at all levels and private
investors; one with interest will be compelled to ask such questions as what
has
actually gone wrong considering the enormity of its effect on the output from
the system in the area of productivity and the degree of acceptance in the
labour market and educational institutions, especially outside the country.
Response however, will be its militating factors stemming from the incidence of
examination malpractice – poor facilities – indiscriminate mass promotion
syndrome in schools. The causes of these could be traced to
(i)
Government insensitivity to education needs
(ii)
Government and private institutions open encouragement of low productivity and
(iii)
the lack of the spirit of hard-work among growing number of students. Attempts
will be made in this paper to examine the aforementioned problems and
mitigations suggested.
CHAPTER TWO
PROBLEMS
OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
Poor
Preparation and Malpractices
Experts in the education sector has been able to identify
examination malpractices with poor preparation of students for an examination,
and lack of self confidence. In view of the rising costs of education (school
fees, enrolment fees, cost of books and other materials) students and even their
parents will not ordinarily want to be held back by any form of deficit or
failure in any of the required subjects, hence will go to any length to ensure
success.
In some cases, some teachers at the secondary school
level are involved by way of encouraging students to contribute money (cooperation
fees) in order to secure the needed assistance during such examinations because
they, the teachers are left with no other alternative considering the fact that
they are aware of the inadequate preparation of their students as well as the
lack of facilities to get them properly prepared before examination.
Interview with 50 school heads in Benin City, reveals
that more than 50% of our secondary school students on annual basis choose to
enroll and write their final year external examination in schools in the interior
and some private schools where they are very sure of success at the end of the
day.
In 1996, the military government in Edo State sent home
secondary school teachers that have served 28 years and above as well as those
that were recruited in 1991 and after, few weeks before final year examination.
Some schools were left with one teacher and a security man. And a near replication
of same happened in the year 2000, this time for those that have served 28years
and above. This is how the government indirectly legitimized irregularities in
schools that is today unabated. Today the paucity of teachers in our secondary
and primary schools, indicate that the state is yet to fully recover from this
shock. Between 1999 and the year
2000, the Bauchi State Government terminated the services of teachers who were
non-indigene from its teaching services. A situation which resulted in acute shortage
of teachers in virtually all schools in the state without a prior provision for
replacement. Same practices have also been observed in some other states of the
federation. In a similar vein, Zamfara State government in the year 2004 imposed
fees on students that is not only religious and indigene-ship bias, but also
gender discriminatory, such discriminatory educational policy hampers the quest
for goal attainment in both educational and national development.
Efforts of state government like Bayelsa and Ebonyi, since
1999 towards overhauling and speedy transformation of its educational system from
the primary to the tertiary level as well as sponsorship of its indigenes for
oversea educational programmes and payment of students examination enrolment
fees should be recognized, applauded and emulated by others.
Exploitation
and Educational Standard
A close assessment of activities in schools have revealed
that, students are made to suffer undue amount of exploitation by school heads at
both private and public schools in the name of enrolment fees and assurance of
success in their examination and this they do in collaboration with the
ministry officials who are suppose to inspect and monitor activities in schools
to ensure standard compliance. Despite the fact that most of the schools lack
basic learning facilities and a
complete
set of teachers, in some cases, a school with the services of an English
Language teacher will lack that of a Mathematics teacher. This is the more reason
why one may not have the gut to quarry the mass promotion syndrome been
practice
in schools because the system itself is not balanced.
In like manner, students are being surcharged in a number
of ways in tertiary institutions either in the name of dues that are not
accounted for, force purchase of reading and other learning materials at exorbitant
rate or on services of which staff are being paid for as assigned responsibility
and official provision made by the
respective
institution. All these lead to lowering of the academic ability of students.
Orientation
and Educational Standard
In view of the prevalence of examination malpractices and
other related irregularities in schools at all levels this day, the interest
and habit of reading, procurement of books and other skills development materials
has drastically dwindled among a number of students. Interview with 50 secondary
school heads of both public and private, sampled in Oredo and Uhunmwode L.G.A, Edo
State and 30 senior faculty members from five universities namely Uniben, AAU,
Delsu, Unilag and Abuja coupled with a study of 500 students randomly sampled
from 50 secondary schools in Benin City and 300 students from 3 universities reveals
that, the two areas of main interest to growing number of students now are:
fashion and influencing of examination results “Blocking”. Thus, portraying the
educational system more of glamour to real learning and skill acquisition by prospective
students. This trend is also observed to have close relationship with rising
sexual promiscuity among students
Poor
Parenting /Guardance
Parenting, entails caring, protection, guardance,
provision of basic needs for a child up keep in order for him or her to be
properly equipped to meet with the challenges of life, in accordance with the
laws of the land. In desperation, many parents have decided to bring in
additional innovation by way of not only involve in encouraging, but also
finance activities in and around examination venues to effect malpractices in
order to brighten the chances of their children or wards in qualifying
examination to higher institutions and some even progress on this act through the
tertiary level of education.
Interview with two sets of university students from
various departments engaged in clustered group discussion revealed that their
parents influence over their choice course of study has negative effect on
their level of performance.
In early 1998,
during the 45th meeting of the National Education Council (NEC) held in Kastina,
the then Minister of Education in an address stated that this submit is to
allow stakeholders in the education sub-sector and “Those who do not now know
the extent of the rot in the sector to sit and parley with us in order to
understand what has gone wrong with education in Nigeria” He further added that
I believe that
if Nigerians who matter know exactly the trouble which education is
passing through they will be shocked to their marrow because
Nigeria’s education has reached a level, which deserves the declaration
of a state of emergency (Birma,1998).
In this regard, conscious effort is needed by all the
stakeholders in the educational sector- Government at all level, school heads
and teachers, parents and students to bring this observed abnormalities to
normalcy – poor education breeds indiscipline and indiscipline is the bane of the
Nigerian society today and calls for restoration of a proper academic culture
in Nigeria.
Poverty
and Fall in Standard
Acquisition of Education knowledge is supposed to help us
fight against-poverty, ignorance and disease. The process of acquiring this
well desired knowledge has gradually turned money spinning venture for many of
those in dire need of the knowledge and skill. It is now a source of
exploitation from the service seekers with little or no consideration for
quality of service rendered and facilities on ground, and made an offer for the
highest bidder. A trend which has cut across all levels of education, from
nursery school to tertiary institutions.
The concept, “poverty”, refers to a situation and process
of serious deprivation or lack of resources and materials necessary for living within
a minimum standard conducive for human dignity and well being (NEST, 1992: 16).
Admission and being in school today is merely an ability to pay what is
demanded in monetary terms by school operators and not on what could be offered
academically. And this in essence widens the scope of poverty prevalence as
well as the gap between the rich and the poor which education is designed to
bridge. Little wonder why graduates from many of the institutions exhibits ignorance
towards societal realities and lack of creativity, due to the inadequacies associated
with the learning and training process which is also observed to be partly
because many of those that offer this service do so with greed.
CHAPTER
THREE
PROSPECTS
OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
The
Need For Research Development
Every one who cherish genuine growth and sustainable
development – Government, private and corporate organization, non-governmental organization
and individuals should as a matter of due responsibility encourage and finance research
programmes, inventions and mass production of invented products as a way of discouraging
prospective students from indulging in any form of academic irregularities, who
may not have seen any thing good or meaningful on the part of those who have be
hardworking and creative, research and invention wise in terms of reward for
their effort. Currently research interest by the government at all levels and
corporate organization is nothing to write home about.
Many who have distinguished themselves in this area of
human endeavour got frustrated and discouraged due to lack of assistance and encouragement
resulting in brain drain to other parts of the world, where such innovations
are well recognized and encouraged.
Despite the amount of knowledge and experience claimed to
have be acquired or possess by some scholars, occupying some prestigious and
sensitive units as heads still try to thwart the effort of fellow scholars and
that of up coming ones as a way of perpetuating mediocrity with low productivity
and underdevelopment of the society as its resultant effect. Suffice to say,
that these sets of scholars have thrown modesty and excellence (they are
suppose to hold on to jealousy) to the wind. According to Professor L. Erinosho
“There is no doubt that universities have a pivotal role to play because they,
as institutions, bear a part of the responsibility for the collapse of the
academia. There are a number of challenges facing universities in Nigeria today,
the first of which is to tackle declining standards which, as was previously
observed, is being orchestrated
by
scholars”.
This research sub-sector that is grossly neglected in
Nigeria and play upon indiscriminately, is the basis for the socio economic,
political, scientific and technological advancement of our most admired
developed nations of the world today. Therefore, conscious effort towards qualitative
and durable educational system need to be put in place for posterity in
Nigeria. (its land, mineral resources etc) and the numbers of its people, their
level of skills, altitudes to work and desire for self improvement (NEST,
1992,8)
Considering these
observed inadequacies therefore, one may not be wrong to say that there is no
good and favourable market for researchers in Nigeria.
Funding
/Constrains
The gross under funding of the educational sector in the
country in general and the neglect of the maintenance of the physical
facilities. Instructional and living conditions have deteriorated in many of
these schools, classrooms,
libraries
and laboratories are nothing to write home about, all leading to decline in
academic
standards. Attention must be focused on these areas too if these educational
institution are to get out of the woods and this is only possible through
adequate funding.
Since 1986 when the federal military government introduced
the structural adjustment programme SAP, allocation of financial resource started
to fall coupled with the consistent decline in the value of local currency till
date. Which have also consistently affected the procurement of imported technical
and scientific equipments, books, journals and other instructional needs in the
educational system.
Education system in Nigeria today, needs a total
overhauling and restructuring, this reform is required to improve the
performance of higher
education
in the country, the nation entered the 21st century insufficiently prepared to
cope or compete in the global economy, where growth will be based even more
heavily on technical and scientific knowledge (World Bank 1994). It is also a
well known fact that the inadequacies always observed among many undergraduates
and graduates alike is as a result of the inadequacies associated with the
primary and the secondary education system in Nigeria.
It is however pertinent for the government of the day to
design a suitable guidelines for funding education. For instance, UNESCO has
recommended that 26% of the total budget of a nation should be allocated to education.
But Longe Commission of 1991 observed that the percentage of recurrent budgetary
allocation to education in Nigeria has never exceeded 10%. Though, the system
is expensive to keep afloat, quality however in any form is partly a function
of the total fund made available to the system and judiciously utilized for the
purpose to which it is meant for. Funds are required and necessary to maintain
both the human and material resources of the system in order to achieve desired
goals.
Also there is the need for an effective monitoring of the
management of fund presently being allocated to the sector, as effort should be
intensify
to improve on what is currently being allocated to the system.
Organisational
Influence on Educational Standard
Many viewers have observed that, most corporate
organizations today in the country are fond of employing series of measures
which are in effect bias and unproductive. They indulge in an unfair selective
judgment on applicants seeking employment opportunity into their establishment,
by way of using certificate grades as well as institution attended as a
prerequisites for interview attendance and recruitment. In some cases, they
rather prefer candidates with first class and second class grade certificate
and those that attended the first generation universities at the detriment of some
others with lesser grade who might be better if given equal opportunity.
This is their own way of encouraging irregularities and
malpractices in the process of grade acquisition by prospective job seekers, therefore
compromising standard and perpetual dependence on the services of foreign
expatriates for both medium and high tech services.
SUGGESTIONS
i
Government and the private sector should pull in more effort and resources
towards the development of education
ii
Educating and re-orientation of teachers, parents and students on the need to discourage
examination malpractice in schools
iii
More vocational and technical education centers be establish and the few
existing ones properly equipped and staffed.
iv An
independent inspectorate committee should be put in place to regularly monitor activities
in schools as the existing inspectorate unit has seize to function effectively
v
Government should take over payment of enrolment fees for both primary six examination
and secondary schools external examinations.
vi
Qualitative and affordable education be made available for all
vii
Schools should be properly staffed and equipped.
viii
Applicants seeking job placement irrespective of grades obtained and
institutions attended should be given fair and equal opportunity to compete for
placement.
ix More
modern learning aids such as computers, internet web sites facilities, overhead
projectors, firms etc should be provided in schools
x
Online registration being introduced now for school examination enrolment, by
the National Examination Body should be encouraged, this will reduce the
exploitative tendencies by school heads.
CONCLUSION
In some states for the past ten years, not even a single
structure have be added to the existing one or a significant maintenance,
repairs or replacement of learning facilities and equipment rather the responsibility
of school ownership and funding is being shifted while playing down on expansions
of facilities to meet with the demand of increasing population.
The monopoly enjoyed by WAEC as the national examination
body prior to 1999, (when NECO was introduced) coupled with its consistent broadening
of examination syllabus, its overstretched facilities due to the rapidly increasing
number of applicants could be said to be the basis for examination malpractices
in the country. Some public secondary schools are only known to be functional
during enrolment and examination period while most of the private schools, lack
visible structure and any equipment required for science practicals and
studies, but enroll students with outrageous charges.
More attention is
required on the part of the government in the provision of vocational and technical
education to growing number of prospective students seeking admission to the few
and poorly equipped centres. The less emphasy on this aspect of education in
Nigeria presently, is also an observed causal factor in the decline in educational
standard. As it is more of a mono system of education. For an educational
system to be classified as functional and effective, it must be all
encompassing and all embracing. Thus, a well focused and define pattern of
educational system that is all embracing should be fashioned out where
vocational and technical education will be well developed and every child given
the proper and kind of education he or she desires, base on the psychomotor, cognitive,
and affective domain.
It is however, the submission of this paper that all the
stakeholders in the education industry Government, private school owners,
school heads, parents and students are joint collaborators in the decline
observed in the educational standard in the country today, with the government
playing a leading role.
Finally, since education is seen as a sine-quanon to
national development and since no nation can develop above its educational
system, it becomes not only important but also imperative to find some solutions
to the problems of dwindling resource allocation to the educational sector.
REFERENCES
Aina,
A.T. and A. T. Salau.1992. The challenge of sustainable Development
in Nigeria. Nigerian Environment
Study/Action Team (NEST). An NGO
report prepared for the
United Nations Conferenceon Environment and Development, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil,
June 1-12, p. 8, 16.
Birma,
.D. 1998. “Excerpt of speech at the openingceremony of the National
Council on Education(NEC) meeting in
Kaduna.” University System News:
vol. 8 No 1, March, P.I