Out of school children, not for propaganda

Sir, The recent desire expressed by the federal government to go after the out of school children with the sole aim of returning them to school no doubt will be seen as a welcome development and a right step in a right direction by most Nigerians.

But far from it, those conversant with happenings in all Nigeria’s public schools would be quick to dismiss such expressed desire with a wave of the hand. If there is anything the Nigerian government is perfect at, it is none other than the deployment of propaganda in all aspects of governance so much so that by now, majority of the people are aware that whenever their government makes any promise, everything ends at the spot where such promise was made.

Most public schools today especially the secondary schools are overwhelmed, totally congested and overpopulated. With such large number of students crowded in the classrooms, schools still face acute shortage of teachers. Most state governments are reluctant to employ the real number of teachers needed to man each school effectively because of the issues connected with salaries and pensions vis-a-vis the need to create space for funds that would go into private pockets.

It is because of the saying that government is a continuum that makes most governors display the attitudes of doing just a little bit and passing the baton to those coming behind. The import therefore is that year in year out, regime after regime, the situation of things in the public schools have continued to deteriorate without any government with any real resolve to take the bull by the horn.

In such a situation where even pupils and students currently in the various public schools are yet to be taken proper care of, how far can any government go with its promise to return out of school children back to where they were forced to abandon in the first place? If and when the government is ready to make a convincing change in the public schools, the first step is massive recruitment of teachers and the decongestion of schools. Besides, teachers should be well motivated to put in more efforts that would lead to improved outcomes. It is only after all those problems have been fixed that a hand of fellowship can be extended to all those who have earlier fallen by the way side.
Jide Oyewusi coordinator of Ethics Watch International, Lagos.