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FALLING STANDARD OF EDUCATION IN EBIRA LAND: CAUSES AND SOLUTION

Kogi central education is in decline stage that need urgent attention of the state government. The education sector is heading toward a total collapse and we must do everything within our capacity to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Education is said to be the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world. Education is fundamental to development and growth. The negligence of the past government on the education sector of Ebira land has lead to a serious problem.
Ebira land was one of the best area for schooling those days due to it high standard in it education sector that has attract so many people from various state to school in Ebira land, but today Ebira land is the worst area for schooling this days because of it fall in the education sector to the extent that we even have ghost schools detected by Alh. Yahaya Bello, the governor of Kogi state.
During the administration of Late Alh Adamu Attah, the first executive governor of Old Kwara between 1979 and 1983, secondary schools in Ebira land rose from six (6) to thirty eight (38) with some primary schools.
After the creation of those school during Alh Adamu Attah no other schools where created by the past and present government, but today where are those schools created by Alh Adamu Attah in Ebira land? Some of these schools are gradually joining the ancestors, some that are still existing are not even worth to call a school because of its poor standard.
All the schools in Ebira land has been occupied by private individuals. Let me use Okene Teacher’s College (OTC) along Auchi road Esomi checkpoint as and example; in this school about 700 houses where built in the premises of the school by private individuals and even some part of the class rooms were lease out to private schools, it is
only few school in Ebira land that is free from this problem. All this resulted from the negligence of the government on education sector which is very bad for any government that want to develop it state because education should serve as a tools for development.
It was gathered that public schools in ebira land are gradually loosing students to private schools due to lack of facilities even though the private school fees is costlier than that of public school.
Now people have begun to see private education as a strong competitor to public education, thus making public schools losing enrollment strength and this is a bad for the government.
The education sector in ebira land is heading toward a total collapse and we must do everything within our capacity to make sure that doesn’t happen. The government attention on renovation and development of schools in ebira land should not only be limited to Alh
Abdulazeez Attah Memorial college (AAAMCO), there are other schools in ebira lands that is in decline stage that require an urgent attention of the government.

Causes of Education Falling Standard

1. Poor Infrastructure: Teachers cannot perform miracles without the necessary teaching tools. All levels of education in ebira land lack the necessary facilities for teaching and learning. Seats, desks, library, books, laboratories and workshops are lacking in schools.
2. Lack of Dedication of Teachers: Lack of dedication and punctuality to duty by teachers contribute to the falling standard of education.
Teachers show divided loyalty to teaching. Most teachers pay lip-service to their jobs,spending more time and energy in other businesses and less time in the classroom.
3. Examination Malpractice: Examination malpractice has pervaded all the levels of education in Nigeria. Students are the centre of examination malpractice; they have masterminded various techniques of examination malpractice. Parents are also helping their children to cheat in examinations. Teachers are also at the centre of examination malpractice helping their students to cheat during examinations. At the secondary schools some schools have become miracle schools where schools make students pay to be helped in examinations.
4. Teachers’ Welfare.Various Governments have handled teachers’ welfare with carefree attitude. Until teachers in both primary and secondary schools went on strike to make demands for the Teachers’ Salary Scale (TSS) (enhanced package), their employers, the state governments did not listen to them.
5. Shortage of Teachers: High shortage of teachers in all subject areas in the school. The situation is so terrible to the extent that in some schools one teacher will be teaching all the subject in one class.
Government should be the bedrock of our educational system by ensuring proper funding to provide good infrastructure, as well as qualitative teaching and researches in our institutions, particularly in primary and secondary schools in ebira land.
In ebira land, education seems to have been translated to mean another thing. During examination period, for instance, most students see it as a time to cram their note and text books, then answer questions words for words. After the examination, such students forget what they have read. In higher institution, students refer to this trend as La cram, la pour, la forget.

Solutions

Based on the problems or causes identified above, the following solutions are proffered:
1. More schools should be built to increase accessibility to all.
2. Teachers’ welfare should be given priority by government to avoid unnecessary strikes in our educational sector while more qualified teachers should be employed to curb the present shortage of teachers in our schools.
3. Teachers should be trained to meet with new the challenges in the educational sector. All teachers should be trained to be computer literate.
4. Educational facilities should be upgraded to modern standards while teaching facilities should be adequately provided.
5. The state Governments should guarantee free lunch to children in primary schools to needy pupils as no child will learn while hungry.
Ebira land education which was one of the best in the country in time past is now being deserted by the rich and average citizens who prefer to send their children to other states for academic pursuit since our area cannot meet up with the global standard.
Ebira land deserve high standard education. Ebira land deserve having university of science and technology because we have the land and we have the resources.
I believe that with these recommendations, our education sector will no doubt be revived and become a driving force for all development and progress once again.

– ANOWUDA OZOVEHE LUCKY
PRESIDENT YOUTH ENLIGHTENMENT MOVEMENT
08062982301