Improving standard of education

The rapid increase in the demand for education relative to population increase in the country is a significant factor to consider in the decline in standard. Any expansion in the provision of such essential service must generate resources to match attendant costs of having additional teaching staff, procurement of textbooks, construction of classrooms, hostels, etc, […]

The rapid increase in the demand for education relative to population increase in the country is a significant factor to consider in the decline in standard. Any expansion in the provision of such essential service must generate resources to match attendant costs of having additional teaching staff, procurement of textbooks, construction of classrooms, hostels, etc, in the sustenance of quality.
Consternation has often been expressed by the public on learning process in primary schools which does not appear to be nurtured and fully developed for assimilation and comprehension. School children who are in their formative stage are rushed into learning foreign languages when they have not mastered their vernacular that would have groomed them for articulation. The children are overcrowded with syllabuses which education authorities change constantly in keeping with the pace of development in other countries.
The problem of teaching is accentuated by the dearth of qualified staff. Hitherto, teachers for primary schools were consciously trained at teachers’ colleges and their methods of teaching used to be discharged admiringly and competently. Teachers in such schools nowadays find it rather difficult to cope with the teeming number of pupils in a classroom which can reach up to one hundred against the ideal size of between 25-30 pupils per class. Teacher concentration on the attitude of the pupils, vis-à-vis amenability to learning and discipline will thus be impaired considerably.
It is amazing that primary school pupils sit on bare floor! To make matters worse, the pupils may not have writing materials, teaching aids and text books to read to supplement the knowledge the teacher imparts.  
There has been much criticism on the neglect of public schools by governments, for failure to take corrective measures which will arrest the rapid decline in the quality of education. Children of the well to do including senior public servants are preferably enrolled in private schools abroad where the educational standard is high and elitist. The future of the Nation will certainly be in jeopardy if such a situation persists. Government must therefore be committed in providing quality education. Parents and other stakeholders should cooperate with the relevant authorities to also ensure quality control in the standard of education which should be sustained for the attainment of an egalitarian and disciplined society.
Education officers and other stakeholders should hold a conference and brainstorm with a view to finding lasting and acceptable solutions in the falling standard in education all over the country. In a technological age of computers, smart phones, etc, learning is made simpler as these innovations facilitate the process of assimilating education especially in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. United Nations Agencies and other voluntary organizations will offer useful advice and consultancy on how to overcome the problems.
School curricula and syllabuses that are tested, trusted and found effective should be adopted for teaching in schools, colleges and universities. Of crucial concern is the primary school syllabus which children should learn at their tender age. It is at this level of development that serious attention is given to the lessons the pupils will receive. The teachers handling them must be trained and experienced. They should also be patient and tactful.  The gestation period which primary education needs to mature must be determined. Teachers should seriously observe the conduct and performance of their pupils.  The continuous assessment on the pupils plus periodic test results should throw enough light on strength and weakness of individual pupil. Those who critically need assistance to catch up should be given extra lessons to enable them to cope with regular lessons. Such pupils should only be promoted to higher classes if their performance is considered satisfactory.
The National Policy on Edu-cation should be reviewed as a matter of urgency. Experts from the ministries of education should explore all possibilities with a view to taking all remedial measures to enhance the standard of education. Trips should be undertaken to various parts of the world to study their educational systems for comparative analysis and adaption of principles and methods to suit Nigerian circumstance.
Concerted effort must continue to make the pupils realize that they must learn and, in doing so, bow to instructional control of their teachers. Pupils who are deemed incorrigible in misdemeanour or disinterest to learn should be appropriately dealt with in accordance with education rules and regulations after exhausting all efforts for improvement by involving parents and community lea-ders. Special attention must be devoted to communication ability and skills in the language of instruction. It will be necessary to offer explanations in mother tongue some of the time but this is not a license for doing so all the time. Reactions and feedbacks will be desirable as evidences of rapport and understanding in the imparting of knowledge and its learning process.
The administration of Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso in Kano State is doing well in reviving the education sector. Apart from repairing dilapidated facilities, the administration has also embarked on the recruitment of qualified teachers as well as manpower development programmes to ensure that the skills of the teaching staff are sharpened for effective use. Payment of teachers’ salaries and allowances has improved and is promptly and regularly done. The decision by the government to provide free education at all levels is an indication of its determination to squarely tackle the problems of education in its effort to develop the human potentials of its citizens who will in the future shoulder the heavy responsibility of competently administering the State in the provision of good standard of living for the people. Government’s bold measures in declaring free education means tuition fees are abolished, examination fees are paid by the government to relevant examination bodies, and textbooks and other instructional aides are supplied to the pupils at no charge.
Apart from rapid decline in the quality of education at all levels, it is appalling to read available data on annual university enrolment of students who completed secondary education. Out of over 1,500,000 students sitting for JAMB annually, less than 500,000 get admitted into over 100 public and private universities, apart from over 100 polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions. Those who succeed in graduating after four years or so find it difficult to find jobs and there are now close to 10 million unemployed graduates. This disturbing situation reflects a typical security threat which must seriously be dealt with to avoid social upheaval in the future. A stitch in time saves nine.

 Ambassador Sani wrote from Sharada Quarters, Kano <[email protected]>;