By Amaka Abayomi

The first 100 days of any new government is used to measure the successes or otherwise of the government and also serves as a parameter to determine the direction of the government. It is an important and symbolic period that can also have tremendous positive impact or repercussions for the government and the country. Though 100-day landmark started with President Franklin Roosevelt of the United States of America (1882-1945), it has grown to become a global trend.

To this end, and worried by the never-ending rot and corruption bedeviling the education sector, educationists have presented a list of things they want President Muhammadu Buhari to take action on in the sector.

The first is the appointment of a sound and incorruptible Minister of Education, and then institution of anti-corruption agency in the Ministry of Education, among others.

Urging the President to take advantage of the goodwill he presently enjoys, they asked him to take difficult decisions that would surely inflict immediate pains but are in the interest of the country and the government, in the long term.

Passion, patriotism

The South-West Zonal Coordinator, Parents’ Teachers’ Association, PTA, Deacon Olusoji Adams, said the appointment of the right people to manage the affairs of the sector should be taken seriously as this would determine the end result. He said: “The appointment of credible people, especially the Minister, would set the tone for the ministry as appointing people who are passionate about their jobs would make a great difference.

“Also, the stakeholders (teachers, principals, vice chancellors, head-teachers and others) must be ready to co-operate to make the sector work. Another thing is to ensure that monies released are used for their intended purposes.”

Respectable minister

An independent scholar and former Dean, Faculty of Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Ladipo Adamolekun, said the appointment of a respectable minister for the sector would determine the direction the sector heads. He said: “It is so sad that President Buhari inherited a lot of problems in the education sector.

Though the big problems are not the things that can be fixed in his first 100 days, he can show signals of how things would turn out in the education sector by appointing a respectable Minister to handle the sector. This is because education is essential for national development.

“This appointment should also apply to other sensitive positions in the sector because they should be seen as people who can translate to results the shame and rot that has bedevilled the sector. “Also, the way Permanent Secretaries are being frequently transferred does not make them perform optimally. For you to experience any noticeable positive changes, Permanent Secretaries should be allowed to remain there till they retire.”

Resurrect inspectorate

Also, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Federal Wing, Mr. Emeka Okonta, expects the President to appoint a sound and incorruptible minister who would put things in place in the education ministry and also look into the welfare of teachers.

He said: “Within the first 100 days, I want a sound and incorruptible Minister to be appointed to steer the affairs of the Ministry of Education in the right direction and resurrect the Inspectorate Department of the ministry. “This is because no credible organisation would survive without adequate and constant monitoring and most of us in that department just come to while away time in the office as there are no tools for us to work with.

“I expect him to institute an anti-corruption agency because there is a lot of corruption in the education ministry. An example is the admission process after last year’s entrance examination into unity schools. Most principals collected money from parents to have their wards admitted into schools of their choice.

Teachers’ welfare

“Another thing that would be a pointer in the right direction, if done within the first 100 days, would be addressing the deplorable welfare of teachers as no positive change can occur when teachers are demoralised. “The truth is that unity schools are no longer as they used to be and there is no teaching going on in these schools because teachers are not motivated and the total neglect in the human capacity has resulted in the mass failure presently being witnessed today.

“As it is now, teachers’ salaries are very poor in unity schools, and their salaries cannot be compared with even the agencies in the ministry. The teachers’ salary structure – teachers’ peculiar allowance – is not getting to us and the backlog of arrears is another issue.

“My arrears at grade level 10 is still pending, while I am at level 15 as an Assistant Director. So how can teachers put in their best when their welfare is nil.” Okonta’s question is one of many that Nigerians want answers to. 100 days from May 29 is September 6. Stakeholders can only hope that by then a clear direction for the sector would be visible, even if the questions are not all answered.