So much has been written about the falling standard of education in Nigeria over the past few years, that one cannot fail to appreciate the severity of the situation for Nigeria as a nation.

Last week there was a case of a Professor of computer science in court who could not answer basic questions about computers, today we read about a lady who was supposed to have completed primary school, secondary school, and then Enugu State University before enrolling in the NYSC.

The only problem was that somewhere along her educational pathway, somebody forgot to teach her English.
No matter what her paper credentials say, it's obvious that she never really learnt to communicate outside her mother tongue. Once again, this is not a problem limited to Enugu state university graduates( I know many excellent Enugu State university graduates), or Ondo computer graduates, it's a national disaster.

Very soon, Nigerian companies would be going to other countries to recruit messangers, clerks, cashiers, not to talk of accountants, engineers, or doctors.

Anybody who agrees that this is a national problem deserving urgent and quick action is welcome to share his/her opinion, also anybody who disagrees and thinks that this is another case of Nigerians in diaspora bashing Nigeria their motherland is also welcome to contribute, but as for me, I fear for naija!

http://news.dailytrust.com/content/view/9008/27/


NYSC member can’t speak English’
Written by Aliyu M. Hamagam, Gombe
Sunday, 04 May 2008
Article Index
‘NYSC member can’t speak English’
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The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Gombe State has rejected the posting of one Miss Ikpeama Doris Ifeoma, over her inability to speak the English language.

Sunday Trust learnt that Ikpeama, a 28 years old Accountancy graduate of the Enugu State University of Science Technology (ESUT) and a serving corps member in the state could not communicate or write in English.

Speaking to Sunday Trust, the state coordinator, Dr. Ogo-ochi Agbo Emmanuel, said she had undergone three weeks orientation programme without being discovered until she was posted to Government Girls’ Secondary School Doma Gombe for her primary assignment as classroom teacher.

She was reportedly screened by the school principal who found out that she could only speak her native language, Igbo.

She applied to the NYSC state secretariat before any complaints from the school principal that she could not go on with her primary assignment on health grounds.

While making the complaints, she was asked to lodge a formal complaint in writing by the state coordinator, Dr. Emmanuel, after some difficulty in communication with her.

Dr Emmanual said she could not write the letter, adding that the state secretariat later got the rejection letter from the secondary school, complaining of her inability to speak English.

He said the NYSC secretariat alerted the NYSC headquarters, saying that Ikpeama is now at the state secretariat pending further directives from the headquarters.

He added that she claimed to have attended the community primary and secondary schools Eziagu, her hometown, before enrolling into ESUT.

This is called Horror! Wow, How can someone possess and carry a diploma attesting to be a BA holder in Accounting and can not speak nor write in English in Anglophone Nigeria!

If this is not scary, i wonder what is!.

Standards must have COMPLETELY ceased to exist a long time ago in Nigeria's educational sector

Very sad

naijaking1:


Agbo Emmanuel, said she had undergone three weeks orientation programme without being discovered until she was posted to Government Girls’ Secondary School Doma Gombe for her primary assignment as classroom teacher.

She was reportedly screened by the school principal who found out that she could only speak her native language, Igbo.

I don't understand this. How did she scale through the orientation programme without being discovered?

How did she pass through a university without knowing how to speak and write English?

It's indeed scary to say the least.

Lmfao where's IPBM

The Vice Chancellor, Dean of her Faculty, Head of Department and some lecturers should all be sacked with immediate effect as a lesson to others.

Lol. . Tiffy, you're laughing. I am so embarrassed and shocked. _{How's ur weekend going?}

Danmasani:

This is called Horror! Wow, How can someone possess and carry a diploma attesting to be a BA holder in Accounting and can not speak nor write in English in Anglophone Nigeria!

Standards must have COMPLETELY ceased to exist a long time ago in Nigeria's educational sector

Hey don't jump into conclusions, her political views might be completetly BIAFRAN. So she decided not to learn english.

Then she should have gone to Biafria with her counterfeit degree

_{get on, love}

D-reloaded:

Then she should have gone to Biafria with her counterfeit degree

_{get on, love}

well she must have been posted to arewa country against her decision

D-reloaded:

Then she should have gone to Biafria with her counterfeit degree

_{get on, love}

I would caution against making this another cheap tribal issue, just like I insisted that the computer professor thing was not just and an Ondo thing, but a Nigerian disaster.

coolier:

The Vice Chancellor, Dean of her Faculty, Head of Department and some lecturers should all be sacked with immediate effect as a lesson to others.

I totally agree with your prescription. Her certificate or diploma -- if it's genuine, should be a strong indictment of her primary school teachers, her secondary school teachers, and her teachers at the university. It's an indictment against the educational system she passed through.

Finally, the registrar, the dean, and the vice-chancellor that signed her diploma ought to be ashamed and embarrased like hell.

naijaking1:

I would caution against making this another cheap tribal issue, just like I insisted that the computer professor thing was not just and an Ondo thing, but a Nigerian disaster.

are you retarded? Did you see me start anything. I was responding to deor's sarcastic comment. Mind your bloody business.

Are you people sure she's even the one with the certificate.
I heard people can now do NYSC for others.
They need to investigate if she didn't kill the original person and stole her identity.
How did she do WAEC
JAMB nko?
Did she take her exams in Igbo?
The story sounds incredible.

sheniqua:


How did she do WAEC
JAMB nko?
The story sounds incredible.

Hahahahaha. Are You a JJC? WAEC ko, JAMB ni. All she got to do is to pay someone to take those exams of her. Have u not heard of special centers?

As for passing through the University, lets just say there are other ways You can pass ur exams in Nigerian universities apart from reading. And ur options are even more if u are a lady.

not new, i've got a fairly distant cousin who can't communicate in English and is about to graduate from a polytechnic, accountancy too.
At least she's nice. 

Uche2nna:

Hahahahaha. Are You a JJC? WAEC ko, JAMB ni. All she got to do is to pay someone to take those exams of her. Have u not heard of special centers?

My cousin had A1 in geography. 
She's such a "brilliant" girl.

At least she makes good eba.

Uche2nna:

Hahahahaha. Are You a JJC? WAEC ko, JAMB ni. All she got to do is to pay someone to take those exams of her. Have u not heard of special centers?

As for passing through the University, lets just say there are other ways You can pass your exams in Nigerian universities apart from reading. And your options are even more if u are a lady.

but the girl sef is she stupid ?
if she used bottom power to get a university degree,why didn't she use same to obtain NYSC papers?
where was she hoping to gain employment afterwards?

4 Him:

not new, i've got a fairly distant cousin who can't communicate in English and is about to graduate from a polytechnic, accountancy too.
At least she's nice.

you people are "scarying" me.
I can understand that a fellow cannot speak good English
but how can someone not speak English at all
even pidgin?
I had great uncles who were illiterates but living and trading in Aba they could all speak passable English.

4 Him:



At least she makes good eba.

U no well  

Uche2nna:

You no well

half bread is better than none.

David you are insane

sheniqua:
They need to investigate if she didn't kill the original person and stole her identity

since she obviously didnt do any of the exams herslef, should have had them do NYSC for her as well. Didirin

Uche2nna:

You no well  

I don laugh tire.

David,If the cousin is from your mother's side I wonder how you people tell her it's time to make the eba.
do you raise up the kettle?

sheniqua:

David,If the cousin is from your mother's side I wonder how you people tell her it's time to make the eba.
do you raise up the kettle?

She's from my father's side so no problems. My mom has to tap the bag of garri and point to her mouth to pass the message though. Sign language is cool.

D-reloaded:


since she obviously didnt do any of the exams herslef, should have had them do NYSC for her as well.

Many students see NYSC as a jamboree. And to make it more interesting, U get paid for the jamboree. She did not reckon with the fact that "oyibo" would betray her.

4 Him:

She's from my father's side so no problems. My mom has to tap the bag of garri and point to her mouth to pass the message though. Sign language is cool.

OSANOBUA!!
This is serious.

4 Him:

She's from my father's side so no problems. My mom has to tap the bag of garri and point to her mouth to pass the message though. Sign language is cool.

I don die

4Him, please na persin potential wife be that

I am 100% sure that it's practically impossible to pass through elementary school,secondary school and a university anywhere in Nigeria and not be able to speak English.
It doesn't have to be good English.
All the lessons and lectures are in English so that makes it impossible.
The girl must have bought the certificates and must have lived her whole life in interior Ezzamgbo or somewhere.
ESUT is a top notch school , that girl obviously did not pass through there.

Uche2nna:

I don die

4Him, please na persin potential wife be that

English may not be a marital requirement for her.

sheniqua:

I am 100% sure that it's practically impossible to pass through elementary school,secondary school and a university anywhere in Nigeria and not be able to speak English.
It doesn't have to be good English.
All the lessons and lectures are in English so that makes it impossible.
The girl must have bought the certificates and must have lived her whole life in interior Ezzamgbo or somewhere.

and i tell you it is 100% possible to "pass through" elementary school to university level without being able to construct a single sentence in English. At least i have cousins for proof that such indeed happens.

I remember a UK born and bred fellow who came over to finish his secondary education in my school, while his spoken english was impeccable his writing was so horrible he had to come to me sometimes to proof read his work before submitting.

we are making fun of this ,but this is really serious.
I'm horrified.
I know there are folks when they're speaking you'll be struggling to tell if they're speaking English or 'vernacular' due to the strong accents but this one fear me.

I know writing English is another story but not speaking any English with a college degree?