Recently an independent random survey of some public primary and secondary schools was carried out by a non governmental organisation in six states spread across Nigeria.The aim of the exercise was to categorise children so as to ascertain the kind of support to be given in terms of books,IT equipment,and other education materials.The exercise certainly involved relevant data collection and analysis.It was revealed,though not shocking to many of us that you cant find in public basic schools children of the rich,middle and senior level civil servants,professionals and even ordinary business men and women or entrepreneurs.The children identified in the schools surveyed are children of cleaners,artisans,drivers,junior civil servants,petty traders etc.The rich and average class families only send their house helps to attend public schools while their children attend choice private schools.I am not surprised at this revelation.Public schools over a protracted long period of time suffered from system failure associated with neglect and the negative impacts of inept political leadership galvanised by corruption.Some of these public schools lack infrastructure,libraries,teachers and teaching aids.There are some public schools that do not necessarily lack teachers particularly in urban areas or capital cities;rather dedication and commitment are lacking.How can one explain the conduct of public teachers who engage in trading of all sorts of items within school premises and during school hours at the expense of the learning and training of children.Interestingly,public teachers are better paid than their private counterparts;however the overall performance of children in public schools has been unacceptably low and disappointing.Public schools suffer from almost complete absence of inspection by the supervisory ministry of education.In my time and possibly your time,inspectors make periodic visitations to schools and even enter classrooms to observe teachers with a view to evaluating and correcting them where necessary.The public schools in rural areas are deplorable and lamentable.Besides the lack of infrastructures and facilities,teachers are grossly inadequate.The lack of teachers in rural public schools is often a result of certain administrative abuses and malpractices in the supervisory ministry of education which grants frivolous request to a good number of teachers who make overtures to remain in urban areas.All these factors put together makes public schools unattractive to those who can afford private schools.But there is a problem here.In the good old days you find children of the rich and senior civil servants in the same school or class with children of the poor and downtrodden masses.Governors,Ministers,Diplomats,Commissioners,Permsecs and Directors all had their children in public schools up to 3 decades back.The benefits of having both the previledged and less previledged children attending same public schools are obvious.Firstly, it would ensure that the public schools receives extraordinary attention from the political leadership.Secondly,when children of the rich or upper class mingle with children of the poor or down trodden it elicits an appreciation of what it takes not to have on the part of children of the rich;and the children of the poor feel loved and not discriminated against.The current trend of having public schools attended by only children of the poor and down trodden masses does not augur well for our society.Good that some state govts and federal govt are making some efforts to construct new schools and renovate some old ones.These govts needs to do much more than what are seen now so as to rebuild confidence in Nigerians and bring about the desired attraction of children of the upper class to public schools.Public schools should reflect the strata of the society;rich,poor,ethnic and religious coloration.I hope this wld be attainable!
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 12:29:48 +0000
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