There is no doubt that the level of education has declined in Nigeria. It is often said that education is the strongest basis for individual and societal growth.
As a teacher over the years, I believe there are many ways to improve, nurture and revive the quality of education in Nigeria.
The various governments should take salient measures that would reverse the pathetic situations of public schools. The neglect suffered by these schools has left a bad fracture on our education system. Ministries of education have the lion’s share of the deterioration of the sector. Laboratories, workshops and vocational training centers should be suitably equipped. Essential textbooks, teaching aids, internet facilities and modern libraries should be provided to make teaching easier and comfortable.
The qualifications of our teachers and their remuneration must be verified properly. Periodic impartial tests and selection of teachers must be carried out in order to verify the quality of the knowledge they impart to our students. Appropriate use of the new Teacher Registration Board would serve this purpose.
Teachers deserve good salaries because their importance in our education system cannot be overstated. They should be remunerated in the same way as their colleagues in ministries and other parapublic organizations. Teachers’ salaries must be paid at the right time and they must enjoy good working conditions. If we are serious about reviving our rapidly declining education system, teacher welfare deserves adequate attention.
Similarly, curricula need to be reviewed; extracurricular activities must also be revived. Debates, quizzes, spelling bees, drama, excursions, among others, play an important role in the social and academic development of students. They encourage students to develop and exhibit many skills and, if channeled correctly, can turn students into icons in the near future.
Topics and topics that can make students creative, curious and innovative should replace some old and irrelevant topics and topics. We now live in the computer age, where every student must learn to evolve with their peers around the world in terms of technological “know-how”.
Finally, government, educators, parents, students, education stakeholders and every sensible citizen must work to improve our education sector. Undoubtedly, education is an essential pillar in the development of any nation, and it determines the growth of a nation. Giving students the best of education is much better and safer than building modern houses, building weird bridges, making nuclear weapons and so on.
It is high time that our dilapidated education system be revived, so that we can meet the educational standards of other countries in the world.
Sanusi Yusuff Ayinde is a private school teacher in Ibadan
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