In recent years, there has been a downturn in the rate of performance in external examinations by pupils in secondary schools. Stakeholders in the education sector have times without number expressed concern over the dwindling number of passes in examinations, especially those conducted by WAEC and NECO. In their bid to finding out the root cause of the problem, they often pass on the bulk of the blame to pupils, maintaining that pupils no longer read their books. Others blame the teachers. Yes, pupils no longer read their books, but that is not the primary cause, something provoked this sudden change of attitude in pupils.The primary cause is the use of cell phones and the overgrown interest in watching home videos by pupils. Excessive indulgence in the use of cell phones has contributed immensely to the dismal performance of pupils in WAEC examinations.Under normal circumstances, what should occupy a pupils time is their books. In other words, books should be their closest companion.But alas, pupils companion in the school and at home these days is their cell phones. They spend much of their time in manipulating phones, playing games and making midnight calls. Those that have internet connection browse pornographic image and other irrelevancies. Reading their books now becomes a part time venture.Another sordid feature in them which has become inveterate and which is the last straw that breaks the camels back is the habit of watching home videos. They take delight in watching all sorts of films that are neither educative nor edifying. The situation could have got out of hand but for the PHCN inefficiency in maintaining steady power.Pupils give rapt attention to video films more than their studies. Ninety per cent of their time goes to frivolities, while the rest goes to studies. In such a scenario a pupils cannot break even in their examinations no matter how intelligent they are.Most worrisome is that parents who complain about this unpalatable development are the same people who provide this luxury for them giving a child a bowl of salt and at the same time making rain against him.Even though I am not here to apportion blame to any of the quintuple group, the government, the examination bodies, the teachers, the parents and the pupils, I would say that parents contributed in no small measure to this ugly development. Because they buy these things and keep them at the childrens disposal.So to reinstate reading culture in pupils, parents should as a matter of course control and monitor their children as regards the use of cell phones and watching of videos.So my advice to parents and guardians is, from this holiday henceforth they should monitor their children and wards on the use of cell phones and ban them from watching home videos that are not educative or edifying and engage them in more meaningful activities like reading good novels, watching television, listening to news on the radio and other knowledge building programmes. They should also avail them of the reading of newspapers where affordable or buy old news papers for them to help improve their knowledge in English.I strongly believe that if all the stakeholders play their role very well, while the children devote much of their time to studies, no doubt, there would be a remarkable improvement in WACE, NECO, and other exams. I wish all our pupils success in all their endeavours.- Gabriel Orhuwhorun, House master, Field Crest international High School, Warri, Delta State.
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