If you went to elementary schools during my time, looking at the attached picture, I do not think any of us can remember anything similar. I attended about four elementary schools between the ages of five and six and none of the schools was like what we are seeing in the picture below. That was many many years ago. This is 2019 and the picture you're seeing is a recent picture of a Primary School in Adamawa State. They are happy to display children eating oiled spaghetti and rotten-looking banana to convince us that the feeding program is working. Indeed.
The situation is the same at most of the schools in our villages and communities all over Nigeria. So, you must ask yourself, which one is overriding - the "feeding of pupils program" of the Buhari's Administration or comfortable Classrooms with chairs and tables and well-qualified Teachers? The feeding program as I understand is nation-wide and some people are getting richer and laughing their way to the banks with taxpayers' money over ill-conceived and poorly regulated policy.
How do you expect these kids who passed through the substandard educational system you are seeing below to sit for a competitive exam and perform at the same level with candidates from states like Imo, Edo, Ogun or Delta? That was the predicament that the Federal Government Quota System was designed to take care of by lowing the passing grade for certain candidates at most competitive exams in Nigeria. But the process was grossly abused by Federal Government; thus making the Governors of the educationally disadvantaged states to remain lackadaisical in their pursuit of educational reform.
A continuation of lower cut-off marks is not sustainable and it is not a push-factor in the educational reforms process. From all indications, it appears stultifying and provides covers for Governors from the affected states to continue to see undue favor, using the appalling performs fo their students as a bargaining chip.
It may interest Nigerians to know that Zamfara State where Sharia Law was first promoted and adopted as the criminal law is the least educated state in the country. For example, while candidates from Imo, Ogun, and Edo State, are expected to score more than 100 marks to pass and secure admission into any of the Federal Unity Schools, candidates from Zamfara State with ten marks would secure admission to any of the schools. It used to be about two marks for girls and five for boys for many years until the recent upgrade. Papa Awo and Action Groups transformed the educational standard of the Western region in four years - 1952 - 1956. It is a shame to see this picture close to 60 years after our independence. Please, see the short essay posted after this for a recap of Papa Awo and Action Group did in the old Western region.
The situation is the same at most of the schools in our villages and communities all over Nigeria. So, you must ask yourself, which one is overriding - the "feeding of pupils program" of the Buhari's Administration or comfortable Classrooms with chairs and tables and well-qualified Teachers? The feeding program as I understand is nation-wide and some people are getting richer and laughing their way to the banks with taxpayers' money over ill-conceived and poorly regulated policy.
How do you expect these kids who passed through the substandard educational system you are seeing below to sit for a competitive exam and perform at the same level with candidates from states like Imo, Edo, Ogun or Delta? That was the predicament that the Federal Government Quota System was designed to take care of by lowing the passing grade for certain candidates at most competitive exams in Nigeria. But the process was grossly abused by Federal Government; thus making the Governors of the educationally disadvantaged states to remain lackadaisical in their pursuit of educational reform.
A continuation of lower cut-off marks is not sustainable and it is not a push-factor in the educational reforms process. From all indications, it appears stultifying and provides covers for Governors from the affected states to continue to see undue favor, using the appalling performs fo their students as a bargaining chip.
It may interest Nigerians to know that Zamfara State where Sharia Law was first promoted and adopted as the criminal law is the least educated state in the country. For example, while candidates from Imo, Ogun, and Edo State, are expected to score more than 100 marks to pass and secure admission into any of the Federal Unity Schools, candidates from Zamfara State with ten marks would secure admission to any of the schools. It used to be about two marks for girls and five for boys for many years until the recent upgrade. Papa Awo and Action Groups transformed the educational standard of the Western region in four years - 1952 - 1956. It is a shame to see this picture close to 60 years after our independence. Please, see the short essay posted after this for a recap of Papa Awo and Action Group did in the old Western region.
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