By Emmanuel Edukugho

Ways to effectively tackle the fallen standard of education and take it to the rightful, enviable position have been proffered by an accomplished school proprietor.

Mr. J.O. Bass Musa, Chairman/Proprietor, Lexington Group of Schools.

Mr. J.O. Bass Musa, Chairman/Proprietor, Lexington Group of Schools, Mebamu-Okokomaiko, Km 23, Badagry Expressway, Lagos, in an interview with Education Vanguard, said that for quite some time now, there had been a lot of criticisms and misgivings about the standard of education in the country.

His concern for the declining fortune of the education sector and ways to get things back on track were captured in this brief interaction.

The excerpts:

How do you perceive the standard of education in Nigeria?

For quite sometime now, there had been a lot of criticism about the standard of education in the country. While some think that things are going well, majority of the people believe that the level has fallen drastically without taking the pain to give and analyse reasons for the fall.

In my mind, I think that education, especially in Nigeria should be looked at as a product whose change can only be done after a critical analysis, evaluation and assessment.

Some of us have always made negative comments on the decay of the system without necessarily being able to tell us how the fall came about or what led to it.

Can you let us have a glimpse of what you think is responsible for the malaise?

At the moment, there is, to some extent, a dichotomy between the federal and states schemes of work. Unlike in the past when standard books were approved for schools in the federation by Federal Ministry of Education, state governments dictate their scheme of work this time around.

Besides, different authors abound who are writing books for sale to schools without regard to the approved scheme of work.

Behind this festival of proliferation of schools and lack of control of schemes of work, there are no trained teachers to impart knowledge at the different level of primary education.

You will agree with me that real education and acquisition of knowledge starts from the primary level. It is because of the lack of solid education at the primary level that led to the fall of the standard of education in the country.

What do you think is wrong?

Rather than concentrating on the development of education, the different governments play politics with education matters. Siting of federal universities in every state without a corresponding provision of adequate manpower does not make sense.

It does not also lead to increase in the standard of education. In the same vein, in effective changes of the systems does not raise the standard of education; rather it kills it. This is because you have what is called “Time Lag” in every change that ione makes. People will find time to understudy the new system.

For example, what is wrong with the 6-3-3-4 system that was replaced with Basic 9 system? (The Universal Basic Education System). Qualified and well trained teachers are not being provided nor available.

How can such a trend be rectified?

Colleges of education should be fortified rather than making them a gateway for direct entry into universities. Alsos, the present attempt by the Federal Government to convert some colleges of education into universities should be re-considered because it could further kill the standard of education.

To me, heads of governments at all levels in the country should step up efforts to take education to its rightful position. Admittedly, the poor state of education in Nigeria was due to neglect by succeeding governments.

The newly inaugurated governments at all levels should ensure that they honour all pledges made during their election campaigns.

They should make education their priority by ensuring it is returned to its erstwhile high position. Educati9on comes first in any country’s national plan because development and all achievements in life depend on it.

Is the curriculum not static and out of place with current realities?

The present curriculum of our university system should be reviewed comprehensively so as to make more relevant to national development needs and aspirations. Such a review can be done by consultancy work handled by highly competent and qualified experts.

The review must reflect reality of need to overhaul and change the present poor system of teaching by lecturers. The frustration experienced by young graduates is mainly due to lack of employment opportunities which government cannot provide.

Polytechnics should provide strictly technical education instead of majoring in Banking, Finance and Business Administration programmes. The colleges of education should be made to focus on producing quality graduates that can face the test of the day in primary education.