Education is an act of learning from someone, which imparts positively in ones life. As well, education is an act of knowing things, which hitherto one was ignorant of.
However, education has conventionally been accepted as a viable weapon for economic development, and self-containment from ignorance and vicious circle of poverty. In spite of this crucial role which education plays in our daily existence, it is disheartening to know that not all are opportune to be educated.
In Nigeria, for instance, where economic inequalities have turned to be the order of the day, where virtually the bourgeoisie commonly referred to high placed individuals (cream of the society), as those few individuals in the society who are in control of economic resources thereby possessing economic power, can send their off-spring abroad to study.
The question which comes to one’s mind is, “Why do these highly placed individuals send their siblings abroad to study, in spite of vast tertiary institutions available in their home country?”
Nigeria, for example, with over seventy-two tertiary institutions (Universities, Polytechnics, Mono-technic and collages of education) and with a teeming population of youths under the age bracket of 17 to 25 that are willing to attend higher institutions, is still in its rudimentary stage of education.
Such educational barriers range from lack of educational facilities, little or no governmental policies on education, cultism amongst students and more.
Our tertiary institutions have virtually turned into a citadel of breeding social miscreants rather than educated graduates who could have hitherto contributed their own quota to the nation’s development. The academicians in our institutions of learning are poorly remunerated, thereby, not boosting their morals as sound academics. The academician in quest to fulfill his domestic role in the family resort to so many vices that is against the ethics of the teaching profession. This includes exam malpractices, abating cultism, and extortion from students, etc.
EDUCATIONAL FACILTIES
The educational facilities in our public tertiary institutions have turned into caricatures of their former self. Such educational facilities include our laboratory apparatus for the science student, libraries, and lecture halls, to mention a few. Student who graduate from these tertiary institution with little or no out door practices that are virtually sub-standard (half baked) when compared with their counter-part in private tertiary institutions of learning or overseas university. Our graduates are left with no option than to be job seekers rather than job creators, thereby rendering them idle for so long in search of white-collar jobs, who after much years at home doing nothing, resort to crime in order to meet the expectation of the members of the public and that of their immediate family. This is further supported by the adage which says, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”
A good example is the case of a student who studied laboratory techniques and microbiology in a public tertiary institution and after graduation, secured a job in a pharmaceutical company. Once he was asked to go get a petri dish by his superior, but he was unable to identify a common petri dish.
GANGSTERISM AND CULTISM
Our public tertiary institutions have turned to a place where terrorist, social miscreants and gangsters are bread and brought up. It is not an understatement to say that cultism and gangsterism have virtually proven themselves to be unstoppable and unquestionable trends. In fact, it is a canker worm that has eaten deep into our higher institutions of learning.
This nefarious activity has on so many occasions touted the school carefully planned calendar as, in resumption date, examination dates and above all, has left so many unfortunate students dead and some permanently disabled. These so-called cultists have made themselves lords over their fellow students who are helpless, as, in the case of a sheep in the lion’s den. Despite the fact that the government of the day have made out laws against cultism, these laws never see the light of the day as the government only make political wills, which are never implemented or documented in white and black.
This is supported by various panels of inquiries, set up to look squarely on the causes of cultism and to find a lasting solution to put an end to cultism. But, it is, however, disheartening to know that the fact finding and report of this commissions put in place are not looked upon neither are they utilized by the government who established it.
Furthermore, the academics willing to carry out their duties to the best of their ability are trampled upon by these cultists who make serious threats to their lives. Students, now see cultism as a short means to examination success and security on campuses.
INCESSANT STRIKE BY ACADEMICS
Educationists in our public tertiary institutions have conventionally accepted or welcomed strike action as a means to buttress home their demands. These erroneous and un-called for acts have incessantly disordered and disorganized educational activities.
If it might interest us to know that incessant strike actions contradict the ethics of teaching as a profession. These incessant strike actions are followed up by demonstrations which bring disorderliness in our higher institutions of learning, in which cultists have a golden opportunity to exhibit their show of shame and barbaric acts. This strike action, whose outcome is overwhelming, ranges from total collapse of the educational system to destruction of the few educational facilities but to mention a few, thereby heightening the tension of insecurity in our tertiary institution of learning.
EXCSESSIVE BUREAUCRACY
The bureaucracy encountered in our higher institutions of learning has posed a threat to our educational system. Moral instructors, one-on-one interaction between lecturers and students and others witnessed in private institutions of learning, are however, a thing of the past in the pubic tertiary institution. The excessive bureaucracy has not given the student a sense of belonging, which does not inculcate in them the spirit of entrepreneurship. These unfortunate and half-baked graduates from our public tertiary institutions of learning are made jack of all trades but master of none.
These are further supported by the difference in learning ability. Some students tend to learn faster than their fellow mates. The students who don’t learn fast have no opportunity to table their areas of difficulty to the instructor or lecture as the case may be.
WHAT MUST WE DO TO EFFECT A CHANGE GOVERNMENT
The government as a body has the statutory role of providing education to its citizens. It must make sure that convention laws are made and not just made but also implemented to the latter.
The government, through the federal Ministry of Education should map-out suitable policies on education which seeks to redress the imbalance between the private and public tertiary institution of learning. Government should reorganize its staff strength at the federal Ministry of Education so that only needed officials are allowed to stay in order to hold strategic position.
Education all over the world is a capital-intensive project and requires huge sums of capital to finance. Funds realized from this delimitation would go a long way in financing education. More so, in other to raise funds for education, an education fund must need to be in place. These education funds will be contributed by all and sundry through the establishment, of an educational fund, from which scholarships and educational grants will be made available to deserving and students in need. By doing so, financially deprived students are not denied their rights to education.
THE STAKEHOLDERS
The stakeholders in the education sector must work tirelessly and relentlessly at improving the standard of education in Nigeria. The academicians, professors, lectures, instructors must know and be guided by the ethics of teaching as a profession and not just as a means to make a living. The interest of the student must be at hand before all other material and personally interest.
It is time the stakeholder must make constructive criticisms on education so that amendments are made. Professors must be able to profess their research and fact-findings so the government can use as a framework for its education policy.
The lecturers and teachers including instructors must show total and unreserved willingness and devotion to their duty.
PRIVATE SECTOR
Globally, government alone never funds education. The private sector has the dual mandate of meeting its social responsibility to its environments where it operates, and education is not an exception. The private sector must contribute its own quota to educational development projects, give scholarships or grants to deserving students who have proven to be intellectually sound and creative in return.
PARENTS AND GUADIANS
The parents or guardians must monitor the activities of their children or ward as the case may be. From time to time they should visit their children’s institution of leaning to inquire about their attendance at school and level of commitment to study.
They are to monitor the activities of their wards and if they discover any questionable or shady character, should report them to the appropriate authority. They are to advise their wards on the dangers of cultism and gangsterism, and above all, devote time to their wards.
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