THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is worried that many students’ poor performance on campuses betrays their excellent results gotten from the West African Examination Council (WAEC), and other examination bodies suggesting possible manipulations.
In a letter to secondary school teachers, private school owners and parents seen by this newspaper, ASUU asked that students should be helped by ensuring that they write senior certificate examinations themselves, and merit their grades.
“We are tired of seeing students with A1 in Mathematics but cannot solve the smallest of fractions in the subject,” ASUU said in the letter.
“We’re tired of seeing a student with distinctions in Physics and Chemistry, but knows nothing about chemical reactions or energy conversion,” the letter read in part,” the academic body explained.
Education is the backbone of every flourishing country in the world, but Nigeria has been battling with several obstacles in its educational system which has hindered the progress of students. The country’s learning outcomes have been poor due to numerous issues, such as inadequate funding, lack of qualified teachers, and corruption, among others.
Experts expressed worries because the hazaphard education system breeds half-baked professional, and fake certificates, they say pose a serious threat to the country.
Nubi Achebo, director of academic planning at Nigerian University of Technology and Management described the ASUU’s call as very timely; maintaining that the root of poor learning outcomes and fake results is a complex issue.
Achebo said the key factors contributing to poor learning outcomes and fake results syndrome include weak educational foundation, inadequate teacher training, overemphasis on certificate acquisition, parental pressure, corruption and malpractice, among others.
“The quality of primary and secondary education in Nigeria is often inadequate, leading to a weak foundation in core subjects like Mathematics, English, and Science.
Many teachers lack proper training, qualifications, and motivation, which affects their ability to deliver quality education. Numerous private schools hire teachers for as low as N20,000 a month; what kind of teaching and learning will emanate from this type of institution?” he asked.
“Corruption and examination malpractice are rampant in Nigeria’s education system, leading to fake results and undermining the integrity of the education process. Besides, the education system places high premium on certificate acquisition, rather than knowledge acquisition, leading to a culture of ‘passing exams’ rather than ‘learning’,” he said.
Achebo speaking on the way forward, said there is need to reform the education system, promote a culture of learning, strengthen examination systems, provide incentives for quality education, and leverage technology, among others.
“Implement a comprehensive reform of the education system, focusing on teacher training, curriculum development, and infrastructure improvement. Encourage a culture of learning, rather than just certificate acquisition, by emphasising the importance of knowledge and skills acquisition.
“We must be ready to offer incentives for quality education, such as scholarships, awards, and recognition, to motivate students, teachers, and schools to strive for excellence; and also leverage technology to improve access to quality education, particularly in rural and underserved areas,” he said.
Moreover, he said by addressing these factors and implementing these solutions, Nigeria can begin to improve its education outcomes and reduce the prevalence of fake results.
Isaiah Ogundele, an educationist said that moral decadence and corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of many Nigerians hence, many parents and schools manipulate the system.
“The issue is part of moral decadence and corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of our society. Many parents manipulate their children’s age required for admission, and also take them to the special centres where somebody would write the examinations for them.
“Everybody wants to make quick money and nobody is interested in hard work again. Some school owners and eternal examination bodies are the one aiding and abetting the immoral system,” he said.
Ogundele said the way forward is to have another examination to rescreen students after post-UTME.
“My advice is that after the post-UTM examination, there should be another examination that would weed out those admitted by error,” he advocated.
Stanley Alaubi, senior lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt believes the problem is peculiar with private schools.
“I think it’s a general problem in the secondary school mostly from the private sector, hoping to keep the school name to gain more students.
“The foundation actually needs to be solid for ASUU to build on. I think in this regard I support the lecturers’ union stand to stop siding students result to the detriment of their future,” he said.
Experts believe that for the learning quagmires to be curbed, the ministries, departments, and agencies tasked with improving education must tackle the issues to help Nigeria’s basic school learners reach their full potential.
The challenges in many public schools are numerous, and complex from overcrowded classrooms to limited access to quality materials. To begin with, overcrowded classrooms are a major issue in Nigeria’s educational system.
A UNICEF report highlights that Nigeria has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children globally. Although efforts are underway to reduce this number, schools often enrol more students than they can accommodate.
Public schools, in particular, struggle with classrooms of over 50 students per teacher, resulting in an unfavourable teacher-student ratio. This reality limits the ability of students to receive personalised attention, engage in discussions, or ask questions freely.