By Bilkisu Yahaya
The recent report of mass failure by JAMB, which was later corrected by the registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, doesn’t still justify that Nigeria’s education is not failing. Report shows that the literacy and numeracy levels amongst Nigerian youths decline continuously, with 43 percent demonstrating basic proficiency in reading and math by secondary school (DataReportal 2024, UNESCO GEM Report). It is so saddening that most c of our upcoming youths have mistaken and misused social media; teens are now spending most of their time on TikTok and other social media, dancing, liking and spreading misinformation, all in the name of getting likes and more followers. Instead of reading and studying. It’s worrisome how phones become distractions for this generation.
Students are now becoming lazy, and just to be noticed, they are going into content creation because they see it as the easiest way to make money. Even university graduates who studied for 4, 5 years or more are following the trend, abandoning what they have learnt that can be used to solve one or two problems in our society. Gradually, it kills the creative and innovative minds in them.
Moreover, students who are supposed to be emerging leaders practising leadership find it difficult to focus and read but swiftly enjoy staying glued to TV screens for comics and/or football shows. They no longer have an interest in new skills that can personally develop them. The little serious students are now JAPAing out of the country; some never return, and only a few return to do the little they can. An important question to ask, how strong is the little they bring to help our national education system?
Also, qualified lecturers seek greener pastures abroad, causing great havoc to the education system; if they all left, the next generation would be taught by who? I guess the Tiktokers. When did this start? Where are we heading? Since we are already here, how can we avert it and strengthen our educational system again? Let’s behold that education is the powerful key to success, without education, it means no power to success — a bad move for a developing country like Nigeria.
Parents, teachers, students, government, and other educational stakeholders have significant roles to play in restoring our educational system. Everyone knows the importance of quality education, and this was not how education was from the very beginning. Sending children to school is not enough to have a quality education; there’s a need for proper guidance and consistent teaching.
School teachers and owners can do better from their angles. Teach them well, tell them the bitter truth they wouldn’t want to hear, train them and engage them in other extracurricular activities and do well to take them off the street of examination malpractice. To lecturers, the system may not pay well, but leaving the country would worsen the situation. Nigeria is our country, and if we develop it together, it will be better. Teach for the love of teaching; let’s battle JAPA syndrome together.
As for the government, it will be fair enough if there are more efforts to build a great country. It pays nothing to be a bad leader and fail to carry out expected duties. The masses acknowledge the steps being taken to improve the education system, they just crave for more.
Conclusively, the upcoming leaders should know that great countries are great because of their innovations and initiatives. These initiatives and innovations need to pass through education, don’t let the negative words sink deep into your mind that Nigeria will not be great again.
The Writer: Bilkisu Yahaya, an advocate of sustainable goals who graduated recently from Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS).