By Richard Odusanya

In my viewpoint, education is the single most important thing there is in the world. While everyone might have a different definition of education, its importance remains undisputed. By receiving a systematic education, people gain knowledge and develop skills and character traits crucial for a certain standard of life. In the recent past days, what we have noticed as the outcome of the released JAMB results is quite disturbing and sad. Therefore, let’s start with the position and contribution of a long-standing friend Solomon Mickey Manford, a retired educator with almost four decades of cognate experience within and outside the school environment. 

First, the underlying factors of underperformance in the educational sector. JAMB as a case study: JAMB has just released its latest results and the social media is awash with both the positive and most importantly, the negative aspects of the results. Characteristically, we are all shedding crocodile tears even though we contributed to the malady that has befallen our children. Why should we cry when responsibilities are shirked with reckless abandon? Where, when, and how did we get it wrong? The good hands in the teaching profession are leaving in droves for greener pastures elsewhere but we continue to postpone the evil day believing that prayer is the key?

Secondly, permit me to refresh you with the following analysis staring us in the face: they don’t want their children to be teachers:

1• Presidents/Vice 

2• Senators 

3• Members-House of Reps (HoR). 

4• Local gov’t chairmen. 

5• Supreme Court judges. 

6• Appeal Court judges. 

7• High Court judges and Magistrates. 

8• Lawyers

9•Ministers 

10• Commissioners 

11• Bankers.

12• Engineers. 

13• Directors. 

14• Deputy directors. 

15• IGPs. 

16• DIGs. 

17• AIGs. 

18• CPs.

19• Generals and top brass of the military, police, and paramilitary.

20.Even the teachers themselves and owners of schools. 

The list is endless. Added to all these, some well intentioned philanthropists and state governors pay for WAEC/NECO fees of students without providing the necessary  wherewithal facilities and infrastructure that will enhance their success.

Primarily, they erroneously put the cart before the horse preparatory to be led to the abattoir to be slaughtered. So, why are we crying wolf when there’s none?

In his book titled, “Cry Not My Beloved Country” Allan Parton, a South African writer, sums it all up. Whose child will take a up teaching as a profession? Especially, in a society where the cut off marks to tertiary institutions of education are either the least or one of the lowest. 

Essentially, the teaching profession is gradually becoming extinct and we’re not bothered because we have the resources to educate our children abroad. History is replete with the bitter experiences we encounter which should have propelled us to get it right. Unfortunately, we don’t learn from it because it doesn’t have a direct effect on us. But it has a way of catching up with us when we least expect only to chase shadows and leave the substance.

Thirdly, apart from the above, what other factors contribute contribute to the not too encouraging performance of our children?

a) PARENTS: They are always in a haste thinking education is rocket science where success is achieved overnight: many of us jump classes for our children, and register them at ‘Miracle Centres’. Some go to courts to get affidavits and forge the ages of their children.

b) SCHOOLS: For pecuniary gains, they turn a blind eye because they need money to foot their bills. Besides, the 21st-century parent is interested in results and does not care how the results were achieved. This is done with the connivance of the teachers in their employment.

c) TEACHERS: They’re culprits in the system because they have become academically lazy, intellectually dormant, and have lost their sense of direction.

d) LEARNERS; They’re lazy knowing very well that they would be assisted when it matters most. Some are underaged, immature, and are aware that help is available.

e) SECURITY AGENTS; A handful of students, mercenaries and impersonators are arrested and prosecuted each year but it doesn’t serve as a deterrent because the punishments are not stringent enough to serve as a deterrent to others. 

f) JUDICIARY; Culprits should be dealt with severity and if necessary, close down schools found culpable for at least five years.

g) INVIGILATORS; They’re the last hope but some few bad eggs in the system compromise for a slice of bread. They are sometimes coerced to keep mute when evil is perpetuated. The chickens have come home to roost, so why do our students perform creditably at NECO/WAEC while struggling to pass JAMB?

h) GRIEVOUS OVERSIGHT;  The FCT as a case study has over 10,000 secondary schools and less than 10 technical schools. This is an aberration because students who have the potentials in excelling in technical, vocational and trade centres reluctantly attend secondary schools only to fail in the end. Why do we have so many secondary schools and not a single privately owned technical school in FCT? I pause for an answer.

Remarkably, we congratulate JAMB for a job well done and exposing the atrocities in the system and wish them greater successes ahead. May this not be a flash in the pan so the tempo must be intensified for Nigeria to regain its past glory among the comity of nations.  
In conclusion, permit me to place it on record, that the lives of great men remind us that we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave footprints on the sands of time behind us. One thing about the footprints in the sands of time is that they are too indelibly engraved and too difficult to be wiped away by the surge of lies and deception from provocateur rabble-rouser. Therefore, failure to achieve the set goal will be considered a failure of leadership. We’re heartbroken to note that, 1.4 million out of 1.8 million students who sat for the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination scored below 200. Hence, there is an urgent need for government to prioritize education, security, and investment in agriculture as fundamental solutions to the escalating crisis.

Finally, to our children, It’s not enough to go to school, you must also help yourself by arming yourself with the requisite knowledge and skills.