FAILING EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS by Odedeyi Abiodun

For its numerous contribution, especially to national development, educations has been receiving special attention from the federal, state and local governments. It is the leading requirement to get virtually any position or move out and make a living as such, it has become a matter of getting the right grades or nothing.

This has also lead to call for improvement in education standards so as to have quality human capital turnouts. So, a sizable part of the country's budgets disappear into project at enhancing basic training and better manpower building for the future generations.

These dreams are however not shared by the very people whose case the state is fighting- Pupils.

About a week ago, some students of a public secondary school in Lagos were seen altering their examination report cards, with no regards to who or what anyone think of their action, they changed their low grades in full glare of the public.

On investigation, it was revealed that the students were among those who were asked to repeat their present class due to poor examination results.

Appalled, myself and a group of facebook friends otherwise known Space for Change approached the vice principal of the school (name withheld) who confirmed the revelations, "We know them", she said, "We deal with them everyday, even some teachers are involved.

"Once the initial marking is complete, we make sure that the master-report is submitted to the principal, this minimizes to the barest minimum any chances of manipulation from their efforts."

"There has been a surge in this issue since the directive from the state government that students must score 50% and above in six subjects including English and Mathematics."

Seated in her book-laden office, however, the vice principal seems more concerned about inflicting eternal punishment rather than repatriating the students.

"We have other important things to do than dealing with those fraudulent students," she said, slamming her hand on her dusty woody table when it seems our little party won't take 'no' for an answer.

From her conversation she revealed other pranks of the students including buying new examination result sheets among others. At the state education board, a staff disclosed that principals have been adviced to make use of duplicating paper so as to foil any mischief.

With much persuasion, she promised in a not-too-strong-tone to look into the matter and 'do' something about it.
We left and was I was dropped close to Radio Nigeria, Shogunle, where I was to drop a story but uptill now, questions about the incident fails to get convincing answers from me.

Are we leaving the coming generation to their fate?
Why are those picked to instill training aiding their pupils to cheat the system?
Is this what poverty has turned many to? Selling off the future of a whole generation because of today?

While no one has been brought to book by the school authority and no plan to do so, and with a combine effort of pupils and some teachers within the system compromising effective training of these wards, efforts at resuscitating this latent sector may well be a long shot.

- email: abiodunodedeyi@gmail.com
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- twitter: @abiodunodedeyi

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.