THE dismal performance in this year's May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), which results were released a fortnight ago, is a sad and disturbing indication that all is not well with the country's educational sector. Even more disheartening is the fact that the poor showing reflects a steady decline in students' performance that has become noticeable in the past few years. The latest scorecard showed no marked departure from those of recent years, which recorded consistent mass failure of candidates in public examinations in the country. Clearly, there is need for a drastic overhauling of the sector to inspire the desired output.The trend appears to confirm the apprehension in many quarters that the standard of education has fallen. Curiously, this year's result (a mere 38.8 per cent pass) is being hailed by some people as an improvement over that of the previous years. Such a rating underlines a decline that permeates many facets of national life, education being one of them. The schools have become victims of systemic failure. The solution lies in re-engineering the entire system with the authorities giving education proper attention.According to the Head of National Office (HNO) of WAEC, Dr. Iyi Uwadiae, who announced the results in Lagos, a total of 1, 695,878 candidates registered for the examination, out of which 649, 156 candidates, representing 38.81 per cent obtained credits in five subjects and above, including English and Mathematics. This represents 8.9 per cent over last year's performance in which 471,474 or 30.91 per cent obtained credits in five subjects and above, including English and Mathematics.Uwadiae disclosed that a total of 1,545,004 candidates representing 91.10 had their results fully released, while the results of 150,874 candidates are still being processed due to detected errors that may have occurred during registration or in the course of writing the examination.On the other hand, the results of 112,000 candidates or 6.7 per cent are being withheld due to examination malpractice, which however reduced this year to show some positive development, and that efforts in that direction are yielding fruit.In 2010, only 317,142 candidates or 23.71 per cent obtained credits in five subjects and above, including English and Mathematics. In 2009, 356,981 candidates representing 26 per cent of the 1,373,009 candidates who sat for the examination obtained five effective credits. The worst result in recent times was recorded in 2008, where out of a total of 1,369,142 candidates that sat for the examination, only a meagre 188,442 or 13.76 per cent obtained five effective credits and above.These results show that all is not well with the school system. Failure to obtain five credit passes, including English and Mathematics shuts a candidate out of university admission. Some of the causes of mass failure include poor funding of education; lack of adequate teaching infrastructure; neglect of basic primary education; failure of parents to encourage their wards to study; poor training of teachers; lack of interest on the part of government to improve educational infrastructure and the general malaise in the system.The solution includes commitment to the improvement of education by government; stopping mass promotion of students to the next class; enhancing the welfare of teachers; closing of miracle centres and devoting more time to studies by students.The Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayat el Rufai's seeming elation about this year's result is ridiculous and amounts to celebrating failure. Thirty-nine per cent, even if better than the past results, is largely in the same category of failure, and it is pointless making an issue out of it. Besides, although the results are yet to be analysed on school basis, it would appear that most of the passes were recorded in private schools. The minister must be concerned about performance of candidates in the public schools. The federal and state Ministries of Education have a lot of work to do to redress this embarrassing situation.Government should give education a greater priority. A situation where university graduates cannot write correct English, and are deemed to be unemployable, is worrisome. There should be an education development agenda that sets targets of what to achieve in a given period. Government can decide to register more children in school and set targets accordingly. It could be decided that in the next 10 years, all artisans should have school certificate.The country needs something akin to education revolution to achieve meaningful progress. The Ministry of Education must not exist merely to pay salary while the sector deteriorates. Government should fund education adequately as no nation, Nigeria inclusive, can develop without qualitative education.
Click here to read full news..
