THE BACKDROP OF EDUCATION IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

I always hear about the backdrop of education in northern Nigeria but never had the opportunity to have a first hand experience of the situation. Northern government invest more in education than their southern counterpart but all their investments are not productive due to the attitude of the parents, teachers and even the students which were not inline with the government's vision and mission.

Am currently serving in Borno State, Hawul Local Government and Government Girls Secondary School Shaffa to be precised. The first week of resumption was very funny to me because the teachers were in school but only a student was present althrough the week and when i asked some teachers about the possible cause of the situation, i was surprised to hear that parents keep their children at home for a week or two before they start coming to school even when they are aware the school has resume.

The second week was what got me disappointed because i was ready to start lesson but only about 25% of the students were around althrough the week, i had to make some investigations which revealed some very sad stories like:

-the sudents has been without hostels for three terms because the contractor handling the renovation of the school is not taking the project serious and the school administrative can't do anything about it.

-the contractor handling the project is from Shaffa community where the school is located but the community dislike the school since the government didn't compensate them for taking over a vast land where the school was constructed from the community.

-teachers are very limited in the school, infact they have no chemistry teacher and only have one physics, mathematics, english and economics teachers each and were to be taking SS1-SS3.

-lesson timetable takes about 3-6weeks to be ready and the teachers are not well remunerated which didn't allow them to put in their best.

To be continues.................