The education sector in Nigeria has a solid foundation, if not, it would have crumbled. This means that there’s hope and we can save the sector by rebuilding it. Knowing that we need a turn around, the best way to start is by putting into consideration the welfare of teachers.
It has been observed that the commitment of teachers to education has drastically reduced. Gradually they have lost faith in what they once believed in. Would we say it is as a result of poor payment? This may be part of it but, it should be impossible to get discouraged in what you enjoy doing and you are devoted to its call, if actually you are enjoying it, whether you are well paid or not. Most of our teachers have not come to the realization that they are there firstly to serve humanity. Bearing this in mind, they would have a whole new attitude towards their work. Although every worker deserves to be paid for his labor, the pay should not be the motivating force for being a teacher, but vision and purpose should be your driving force.
What most people do now is to go into teaching, not because they like it but because they have no other option since they could not get admission into a university. So, this makes them not fit for the job and consequently, reduction in commitment.
Of a truth, teachers’ remuneration is very poor. In fact, it is too poor. Sometimes, they are not paid for months. Having lost patience, they are forced to device other means to make money for themselves to meet their daily needs.
If we would have to cause a in change education in Nigeria, then we have to look into the method of training teachers closely. The curriculum has to be changed as well. It is too archaic. Modern times demands modern measures, and more practical work must be included.
Multi-faceted funding has to be greatly encouraged. We all have to understand that nothing in itself is free in as much as we have heard over time that there is free education. The infrastructures are not free. They were one way or the other paid for by someone. This is why we cannot depend on the government to do all the funding alone; knowing that the kind of funds needed to put in place these infrastructures is no little money. A balance must then be created by involving both the Federal Government, who would do most of the funding; and those who use the amenities, even if they do not have to pay a large sum. Remember, where your money is, there would your heart be also. If your money is not into something, it would be almost impossible for you to sit still and see that thing being destroyed.
Internally generated funds apart from the school fees must also be encouraged. We have to be conscious to start where the government stops. If we have to wait on the government to fix the education sector for us, we may never get it fixed. Even though we know the government can do much more than it is doing now, we just cannot afford to wait for them. We have to give them some support by devising means from raising funds from well organized fund raising programmes and through philanthropic donations.
If people get to understand the importance of education to the economic growth of the country, they would realize that in education is where their money should be.
As it is now, it appears that the private sector is making head waves over the public because it is well funded. Research has proven that the number of students in private institutions only occupy about five per cent of the total number of students in public. Allowing more private institutions is not the solution. Most of their students still bribe their ways through because they have enough money to throw away, but by making public institutions better funded, more affordable and well managed, it would take on a new look. So, let the private schools be as expensive as they could be; they would only be for those who could afford them, and not because they produce better graduates.
As it has been observed the problem has not yet been well tackled as it ought to. It is an emergency and needs to be treated with urgency. This message needs to be driven hard into everyone who cares to listen. That is the only way to do it.
