Beyond the outrage trailing the sensational reportage of the cut-off points into our federal unity colleges,which among others include 139 for Anambra, 138 for Imo,134 for Enugu,133 for Lagos,131 for Edo,127 for Edo,131 for Ogun,126 for Ondo,127 for Osun,110 for Kogi,90 for FCT,60 for Adamawa,3 for Taraba,8 for Kebbi ,91 for Kaduna ,60 for Katsina and 4 for Zamfara,I reckon that the following are the major ‘distillables’ that we should all consider: 1. The idea of unity schools was conceived to bring together students from all over Nigeria to learn and acculturate together, in order to enhance national reconciliation and unity. 2. The merit requirement or cut-off points allocated to each state are function of the collective intelligence or the average scores of candidates of the national common entrance exams in each state. 3. Other factors considered besides merit, which is 30%, are state quota-30%; environment-30%; and exigency-10%. 4. A relative profile of students’ scores in the country’s six geo-political enclaves reveals that while the south-east had an average score of 131,southwest ,south-south,north-central, and northeast had 127,111,99,42,and 39,respectively. 5. If the National average of 91 was ideally put as the cut-off point, pupils from northern part of Nigeria would be most deprived of access to the unity schools. The purpose of establishing the schools would have been defeated. 6. The performance of southeast pupils, as evident in the highest averages of 139 ,138 ,and 134 for Anambra,Imo,and Enugu,respectively,is highly impressive. These states, over the years ,have also been doing well in both SSCE and JAMB exams. One must commend their governors for their yeoman service and passion to developing quality human capitals. 7. The performance of students from southwestern states like Ondo,Ekiti,and Ogun withrespective averages of 126,119,and 131 are not only appalling but reinforcing my suspicion that south western states have become complacent but inveterately reveling in its old glories. The performance of students from states like Ondo and Ekiti known for a unique culture of excellence and scholarship is most embarrassing. Governors in these states must be awakened to the reality that the marking schemes with which they have been assessing themselves in the area of education have become outdated, and that the southwest does not reckon with mediocrity and second fiddling. While it is noteworthy that states like Osun have begun the implementation of revolutional schemes like the opon imo,which will benefit students in the secondary schools,and other states are likely to take cue, more attention should be focused on primary education. 8. Majority of students from northern Nigeria scored so poorly. While the average of 99 for pupils in the north-central is fair,the average of 2 for male students in Taraba,2 for male students in Yobe,4 for male students in Zamfara are too much of a statistical outlier from the national average,as observable with other regional to national statistics on other socio-economic variables. This abysmal performance is an obvious corollary of the low premium placed on education in the north,as reflected in the generally decrepit nature of their educational infrastructure,inadequacy of competent teachers,and penury of robust educational plans. It is time the north began to take education seriously as the only path towards achieving sustainable prosperity,peace, liberty and security. If there is any reason why I should concede that the Nigerian Governors’ Forum is relevant to common Nigerians, it is because of the platform it could represent for peer reviewing. Instead of perpetually playing embarrassing petty politics, and coveting presidential power, northern governors should focus more on the octopus-like nature of their regional problems,and start taking cue from their southeastern counterparts , and adopt a magic wand for their rotten educational sector. The Almajiri schools,which the Federal government had spent billions in proliferating in the north should not just be for aesthetic improvements, but should essentially be the leverage for the state governors in turning around their educational sector. The Nima yarda bill encapsulating the idea of public schools for wards and children of public servants,as put forward by my respected friend- Hon Abdullahi Mahuta in the Katsina state’s House of Assembly seems most expedient for the north in bridging this embarrassing chasm. One would think the Katsina state’s House of Assembly would busy itself more with fast-tracking its passage and making the law a model for all northern states and beyond, instead of attempting to sack the Alhaji Abdullahi Mahuta-the only one that comes across as the most vibrant and progressive member of all states’ assemblies in Nigeria. 9. It is impressive that the only state where male pupils have shown more academic brilliance than the females is in Zamfara state. Geopolitically,cut-off marks for male and female students are similar for SE,SS,SW,and NC. However,in the NW,the cut-off point for girls is 42,and 41 for boys. Also,while the cut-off point for girls in the NE is 39,that of boys is 34. This shows we are making progress in our quest to educating the female child and ultimately fulfilling our mandate towards entrenching the MDG Goal 3: Gender equality.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:46:05 +0000
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