Hehe… when it comes to the school system, I think I’ve made more posts baring my mind about it than I’ve done on any other topic. I’m a student right now, so I’m still very much a recipient of the shege Nigerian schools are sure to give on a day-to-day basis.
School life is not easy in any way at all, focusing on your studies is hard. But when you have some lecturers who are simply wicked and hellspawn, you can’t help but wonder if it’s all worth it in the end. And then, the way things are just so expensive. From school fees to buying textbooks and other necessary bills. It’s just tiring!
One of the most pointless jokes lecturers in my country keep saying is how they keep urging students to forget about money and focus on studying. They want us to face our books so that once we get the certificate, we can go on to get employment and start making that money. Yet, these are the same lecturers who will make buying of textbooks compulsory for every student! The same school will hike the school fees and then stop those who are yet to pay from sitting their exams. If this is not a joke, then what is? If every student decides to focus only on reading, who will pay for all those books they keep heaping on us? I’m certain no one will write exams because no one will pay school fees at all!!
Many times, talking about schooling just gets on my nerves because I see a lot of injustice in the system. Sometimes, I just want to go back to my secondary school days. That’s what it feels like to be in a government-owned school. I schooled in Lagos, and it was during one of the best times ever.
I don’t know about it now, but during my time it was implemented that teachers could not flog students, some strongheaded teachers still flogged of course, but the rate at which it was done reduced drastically. Nothing happened in the school without the government’s say so. Back then, my biggest issue was going to school and coming home, my biggest expenses were buying my notebooks and school uniforms. The government provided textbooks and free education all around.
Your job was to come to school and face your studies. There’s no other excuse because there’s not much pressure on you from the school. I wish things could be like that, when you can just read and pass your exams. But no! Things are messed up! And if I had the power to change a couple of them, one of the first things I’d do is to remove the independence from Nigerian Higher Institutions.
They’ll be directly under the government and they can only act with the government’s say-so. Just as the Ministry of Education sends inspectors to primary and secondary schools to check things out, I’ll make sure they pay such visits to higher institutions as well. If you’ve been around during an inspection, then you’d understand what I’m saying. All teachers try to be their best whenever the inspectors come, they teach their simplest topics so they will have more interaction with the students. The inspectors will go to random students and have talks with them to know how they are faring both academically and otherwise. It’s always funny to watch because even the most wicked teachers will be smiling and trying to please everyone. Maybe one of these days, I’ll write about it.
If something like this were to be introduced to Higher Institutions, I’m sure students would have a lot of things to say. The inspectors will come on random days, the same way the Police hit the streets. You’ll never expect them, but you’d know that they can come at any time at all. So, you’ll always be on guard. I feel that being under the total control of the government will be in the best interests of all students.
And then, if I were to add something, it’d definitely be a new curriculum. Still in the Higher Institutions. The world is moving too fast for us to still be relying only on whiteboards and markers as teaching materials. Both theoretical and practical courses are being taught on the board. They explain these things to us and expect us to picture them!
So, I’d introduce a new curriculum that will make the marker board obsolete. No matter how you try to teach, it would be pointless without you practicalizing it! This would force the school management to take active measures to provide adequate teaching aids that will help in imparting this knowledge.
There are so many things to change, but where do we start? We need policies and we definitely need a government that cares. Money needs to be pumped into the education system and they have to be watched with hawk eyes to make sure they disburse the funds as required.
No one knows tomorrow. I could eventually have the power to make these changes I’ve talked about here, my only hope is that when I do get there, I don’t get compromised and I do what I have to for the future of the coming generation of students.
I would owe them that much.
