Education is a product of civilisation which involves the process of learning and impacting knowledge through an institutional structure. It has been one of the most practiced norms among the populace of the world due to its capacity in creating enlightened citizens. The standard of education in each country depends on the rate of investment the governing body of the state has invested in academic endeavours to ensure development. As much has its benefit the citizens to have standard education, the academic sector has also been a source of revenue for the government and private organisations.
Despite the significance of education it is quite disheartening when I think of how it has been neglected by the government. Most Nigerian schools are known across the globe for their ability to impact knowledge but it is also known that most Nigerian schools lack resources to offer students standard education. Some bodies in Nigeria have strived over the years to develop the education sector but recently it seems their struggles has nothing to do with the students but to enrich themselves.
Looking back at the way it used to be, I was not privileged to experience the value of being a student during the days when education was highly encouraged by the government. During my days in Moshood Abiola polytechnic as a mass communication student. In one of our classes a lecturer said "This present generation is the most unfortunate" the statement invoked negative reaction from the student, the lecturer himself must have noticed but what he said next justified his statement. He said when he was still a student, in order to ensure education was adopted by the populace of Nigeria, the government put together funds to give to students in higher institution. This was was in form of incentives that was received by the students from the government.
There was different kind of scholarship provided for the students to enjoy, the kind of scholarship that has nothing to do with political propaganda or tribalism. Every student who is willing to acquire formal education is entitled to the scholarship, those were the days when education was totally free. As result of the funds provided it was easier for students in higher institution to survive. He said during those days students were like kings specifically those in higher institution. In order for everyone to enjoy this benefits most teenagers strive to be a student. Apart from this, he said during those days during their graduation ceremony different companies come from different states to employ young graduates. There was nothing like job hunting for students because it was jobs that was hunting students. This was not the first time I heard about how the government supported the student in those days, but what do we have now?
As if surviving as a student wasn't bad enough, even after graduation we still have to search for jobs like our lives depends on it. How many of those companies come around to employ the student before they could step into the labour market. Probably because they no long have tfare to visit schools anymore which is fine, students still find their way to such companies only to realise the job has been secured for someone with connections. I was privileged to work as a PA for an auditor during my industrial training. I witnessed a scene that made me realise it is better to come up with a business than seek for jobs.
They were few vacant position in this auditors firm so he decided to employ more staffs. He published vacancies in newspapers, the numbers of job seekers that came was so massive that we ran out of chairs. Just by looking at them I could see how desperate they were to get the job. The interview went on for about 4 days but what happened next was so funny. Among the magnitude of interviewees that came for the interview only one was employed. This auditor gave out the remaining vacant positions to the children of his friends, those who never participated in the interview at all. They were just given the jobs like it was their birth right. This is the kind of fate that has been forced upon students of this present generation.
Though there are few things that has gotten better compared to the way education was in Those days. Which are:
- Availability of academic institutions: In those days, the numbers of schools were not as much as we have now. Students seeking admission into institutions have to travel far away from home. There were not much institutions to choose from as a result of that admission process used to be very congested since every student is struggling to get admission into the few available institutions.
- More accredited courses: In those days there were limited amount of courses, only few courses were available to study. majority of the accredited courses we have now were just a subject under the major courses that were available.
- Computer based test {CBT}: I remember the first time I wrote jamb, it was PBT - paper based test, a year after CBT was introduced. Having experience the two, I realised the we students have been suffering all those years while making use of PBT. Imagine finishing an exam and seeing your score instantly or the next day. We now have schools that make use CBT for conducting exams.
- Increased interest in education: In the olding days despite the provisions that were made available for students by the government, a lot of people still Prefered to remain uneducated. It was not really the fault of the children because parent in those days preferred taking their child to farm than encouraging them to acquire formal education.
Speaking of bringing back the benefits of being a student in those days is almost impossible because at the end it all comes down to the ability of the government to invest in the educational sector. A decision that could have been easily made if it weren't for the fact that corruption has invaded the minds of those expected to perform these duties. The only hope is non governmental agencies/organisations who are capable of investing in the educational sector and also provide jobs for students.
This write-up was inspired by weekly featured content titled "Schooling back then" in hive learners community.
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