carefreewannabe:


Another proof that something is terribly wrong with the education system. Sorry to say this.

Abeg, trolls will be trolls.
Stop being unnecessarily pessimistic and focus on solutions.

fr3do:


Abeg, trolls will be trolls.
Stop being unnecessarily pessimistic and focus on solutions.

On of the solutions is to tell people how ridiculous it is to call a text of this length too long. They should work on themselves.

carefreewannabe:


On of the solutions is to tell people how ridiculous it is to call a text of this length too long. They should work on themselves.

I respect you ma'am,just take it from the person of Harry.
And to be honest with you,I Love your sense of reason!

Harrychocoberry:


I respect you ma'am,just take it from the person of Harry.
And to be honest with you,I Love your sense of reason!

Thank you very much.

Happy Sunday!

carefreewannabe:


Sorry, your response doesn't make sense to me.

Neither did your response

I like your write up
But will you remember this lamentation if eventually you find yourself a governor tomorrow?
some things are easier said than done.

usqoh:
PEOPLE ARE HYPOCRITES

When you attack black people, They call it “Racism”, When you attack Jewish people, They call it “Anti-semetism”, When you attack Christian people, They call it “Anti-Crusaders”, When you attack Women, they call it “Gender discrimination”, When you attack Homosexuality, They call “Intolerance”, When you attack a country, They call it “Terrorism”, When you attack religious sect, they call it “Hate speech”, but when they attack at the dignity of our Beloved Prophet MUHAMMAD (PBUH), They call it “Freedom of Expression”. When very few of those who lack self-control react, they call all Muslims terrorists.

WHAT AN HYPOCRITICAL WORLD WE LIVE IN.

Muslims cant denigrate other peoples religious value because we respect you all, yet they make mockery of ours. We Muslims, should leave them and stay calm. They love war and violence, we wont give it to them.

ISLAM IS PEACE.

This is not the religion section please.

Y'all(muslims) should call your brothers to order and you won't need to copy paste articles like this.

UuzbaGuuzba:


Our being born in Nigeria is not a mistake. Everybody is born at some place and some time we cannot determine.

What matters is what do you do, now that you have been born? What are you going to contribute to humanity?

ol boy I hear u...no be today I don dey hustle..if na UK or USA dem born me I swear I for don be millionaire...cos am acreative mind...over here so much nepotism man no man....the rich don't wanna give the poor a chance to make it....hardship

carefreewannabe:


Nigerians should learn from any other country that is better developed, there are many of them and from each a lesson or two can be learned.

nah....we should only learn from the best there is cause we are the giants of Africa.

okotv:
nah....we should only learn from the best there is cause we are the giants of Africa.

The best are a good yardstick to achieve greatness.

The term "Giant of Africa" is overrated, though.

usqoh:
PEOPLE ARE HYPOCRITES

When you attack black people, They call it “Racism”, When you attack Jewish people, They call it “Anti-semetism”, When you attack Christian people, They call it “Anti-Crusaders”, When you attack Women, they call it “Gender discrimination”, When you attack Homosexuality, They call “Intolerance”, When you attack a country, They call it “Terrorism”, When you attack religious sect, they call it “Hate speech”, but when they attack at the dignity of our Beloved Prophet MUHAMMAD (PBUH), They call it “Freedom of Expression”. When very few of those who lack self-control react, they call all Muslims terrorists.

WHAT AN HYPOCRITICAL WORLD WE LIVE IN.

Muslims cant denigrate other peoples religious value because we respect you all, yet they make mockery of ours. We Muslims, should leave them and stay calm. They love war and violence, we wont give it to them.

ISLAM IS PEACE.

They make mockery of all religions. Only Islam reacted which only means something. There is something wrong with Islam. PBUH was a narcissist. That's what u get If you offend a narcissist - death and this followers will do as they are told I.e. kill anyone who offends the image of pbuh. My father says the day Islam will allow itself to be questioned is the day it will end.

carefreewannabe:


The best are a good yardstick to achieve greatness.

The term "Giant of Africa" is overrated, though.

Of course, apart from South Africa and Rwanda, no other African country we can learn from.

Overrated or not, we really are

We need change from the heart. We need to love our fellow human. This is where religion is failing especially churches. They go to church for themselves.

okotv:
Of course, apart from South Africa and Rwanda, no other African country we can learn from.

Overrated or not, we really are

Why does learning from other countries has to be restricted to African countries?

carefreewannabe:


Why does learning from other countries has to be restricted to African countries?

I didn't mean it that way. In Africa, those are the only countries we can learn from. We can also learn from the developed nations of the world.

okotv:
I didn't mean it that way. In Africa, those are the only countries we can learn from. We can also learn from the developed nations of the world.

Ok.

okotv:
I didn't mean it that way. In Africa, those are the only countries we can learn from. We can also learn from the developed nations of the world.

What can we learn from the other African countries you have mentioned?

Everybody should read this. Great stuff!!

Beautiful post Op!

.

nice and thoughtful piece op. but I disagree with you

carefreewannabe:


What can we learn from the other African countries you have mentioned?

wow...finally you admitted being Nigerian.

South Africa put the past of apartheid behind the. and joined hands with the west to build a nation of their dreams although they still have problems but they are the most advanced country in Africa. The north and the south should team up to build the country we can all be proud of. The north should forgo the born to rule mentality just as the whites did in South Africa and the South should shun tribalism, religious fanaticism and nepotism so that all will be better for us.

Rwanda had a very terrible period in their nationhood. The civil war mainly between the hutus and Tutsis in which a lot of people died mostly women and children sent a wrong signal to the rest of the world. A lot of people thought it would take a longer time for them to ever recover but guess what they have a better economic outlook and GDP compared to Nigeria (contestable ). We once had a civil war and the pains of that is still being felt today. The Igbo who were the worse hit still hold grudge against the west especially cause of the role it played during that time. Its time they let go for us to move onward from our past.

We could copy South Africa in the Area of local manufacturing and power generation and power distribution.

We could copy Rwanda's attitude towards nepotism, corruption, greed and the way they love each other .

okotv:
wow...finally you admitted being Nigerian.

Did I ever deny it?

South Africa put the past of apartheid behind the. and joined hands with the west to build a nation of their dreams although they still have problems but they are the most advanced country in Africa. The north and the south should team up to build the country we can all be proud of. The north should forgo the born to rule mentality just as the whites did in South Africa and the South should shun tribalism, religious fanaticism and nepotism so that all will be better for us.

Very well said!

Dwelling on the past, hatred, racism, tribalism, religious fanatism are counterproductive and help NOBODY!

United we stand.

I even have the dream and vision of a united, global community, world peace but we are far from that for now.

Rwanda had a very terrible period in their nationhood. The civil war mainly between the hutus and Tutsis in which a lot of people died mostly women and children sent a wrong signal to the rest of the world. A lot of people thought it would take a longer time for them to ever recover but guess what they have a better economic outlook and GDP compared to Nigeria (contestable ). We once had a civil war and the pains of that is still being felt today. The Igbo who were the worse hit still hold grudge against the west especially cause of the role it played during that time. Its time they let go for us to move onward from our past.

The Civil War in Rwanda was really dreadful.
I am happy they are developing now even though I am sure that when you have a closer look, people have not completely overcome the past.

But yes, people need to unite and support each other instead of being hostile. It will go a long way.

People should also try to focus more on allies and friends, rather than on (imaginary) enemies.
Hatred leads to destruction. And all these conspiracy theories I read here on NL make me sick.

We could copy South Africa in the Area of local manufacturing and power generation and power distribution.

Good idea.

We could copy Rwanda's attitude towards nepotism, corruption, greed and the way they love each other .

I agree.

Thank you for your analysis.

carefreewannabe:


Did I ever deny it?



Very well said!

Dwelling on the past, hatred, racism, tribalism, religious fanatism are counterproductive and help NOBODY!

United we stand.

I even have the dream and vision of a united, global community, world peace but we are far from that for now.



The Civil War in Rwanda was really dreadful.
I am happy they are developing now even though I am sure that when you have a closer look, people have not completely overcome the past.

But yes, people need to unite and support each other instead of being hostile. It will go a long way.

People should also try to focus more on allies and friends, rather than on (imaginary) enemies.
Hatred leads to destruction. And all these conspiracy theories I read here on NL make me sick.



Good idea.



I agree.

Thank you for your analysis.

well not really but you love showing off Germany in words like ' where I stay, things work' lol

Rwanda can only get better.


Nairaland is just a figment of the things that happen in Nigeria. Nigeria can only get better.

Thank for reading through.

okotv:
well not really but you love showing off Germany in words like ' where I stay, things work' lol

Rwanda can only get better.


Nairaland is just a figment of the things that happen in Nigeria. Nigeria can only get better.

Thank for reading through.

even though I am not German, I love Germany, why not say it?

I want people to know what sane countries look like. Let them know and let them demand for it. They deserve it.

Its just the situation of things, only strong kids emerge strong in the eventual end.

What rubbish.
I was expecting to read something deep, only to find the OP focusing on irrelevance.
Go to asia and see how kids are disciplined, then you will know kids in Nigeria are actually spoiled.
The average chinese high school kid works like a PHD student.
What a complete waste of my time.

Hidentity:


Have you ever thought about the cause of the national dilemma? I mean, why do we suffer what we suffer? Why is being a Nigerian is a "crime?"What are the reasons for corruption? Why does unemployment pervade the youth population? What is the cause of poverty? You know it? No! Don't say that again. It is not the Government. For the purpose of this piece, the problem lies with you, the apparitions of pastors and imams in your places of worship, your unfair teachers and some insensitive parents.

Life is unfair, but even more so if you are born in Nigeria. The problems are so many that one cannot help but think that his being a Nigerian is a punishment for an offence. The situation is so dire that even places that should be known for their pious nature, motivating objectives and decorum have turned out to be the opposite. Chinua Achebe of blessed memory once said that Nigeria is a place where nothing works. I agree with a slight modification - Nigeria is a place where nothing is made to work. Even in death, rest is not guaranteed in Nigeria, your tomb or body can be tampered with.

In spite of the open condemnation of abuse of all kinds, people - especially children –increasingly suffer abuse. These leaders of tomorrow grow up with this anomaly and eventually into sadists. Let us collectively review a common trend. A kid, of less than 10 years, has to go to school before 8:00 am every morning, the regular class ends by 2 pm. Then from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm he must wait behind for school lesson. That is not the end, he will get home, tired and helpless only to meet his private teacher waiting to tutor him from 5 pm to 6:30 pm or 7 pm. After which there will be assignments for him to do before going to bed. The next day, he must wake up before 6:00 am. His parents would brave the never ending traffic congestion to drop him at school. Is that proper upbringing? No, it is abuse remixed!  Where is the space for self discovery? Where is the chance to learn that the demands of this world transcend school works and the mental pressure to excel? Did you notice there was hardly time for the kid to discuss with his parents? The hidden truth is that most children spend longer hours at work than even their parents. That is a form of abuse we don't avert our minds to.

Have you ever been a victim of serious flogging where soft words and simple discourse would have sufficed? That is the habit typical of some Nigerian teachers, especially in the public schools. It has become a celebrated trend such that some teachers are contracted solely to inflict physical pain. They are celebrities when cane handling and thorough bashing are involved. When a child grows in such a hostile environment, it becomes difficult for him to develop a sense of responsibility. As he has been made to understand that force must be applied in doing anything, he lacks the ability to channel his thoughts to create solutions that will foster unity when problem comes. I witnessed a scenario where the result of a mathematics test was released; the highest mark obtainable was 20. The teacher entered the class with dozens of canes and stood in the presence of the visibly frightened students. After they'd all checked their scores, the teacher said "if you scored 20, sit down." None of them did, he flogged them round and went back to the front, "if you scored 19, sit down." Two did, again he flogged the others round. He repeated this till only one boy who had 2 was left standing. By then, the boy had taken nothing less than 18 strokes of the "beater's" cane. Does study not depend on the goodwill of the student? Can that goodwill be achieved by force, threat or intimidation?  Why is our searchlight on abuse not directed towards this act? On several occasions, I have met people who narrated their ordeals in the hands of some teachers and this gave me the impression that going to school is where they got it wrong. To every general rule, must Nigerians be a negative exception?

An average Nigerian teacher at any level believes that academic excellence is achieved through addictive reading. Quote me, it is not. It is achieved through a mindset that is psychologically fit enough to ignore several unpleasant elements to grab the information of the moment and apply same. No amount of beating can create that psychological fitness. If it does, it won't last. Before you beat that boy for scoring the least mark in your test, why don't you understand what he is passing through? Did he leave home on an empty stomach? Did he witness any altercation between his parents before leaving home? Is your style of teaching fair to the academically less fortunate in the class? Is he confused by the trends of anomalies seen everywhere? Have you simply explained technical information to non-technical individuals in your class? Is he cut out for something easier than your imposition? Does he see the world through different lenses? Ask, do not flog. There is more to the elementary science you are desperate to let him understand. That he is unable to grab that topic fast does not mean he won't lead the class in another. A teacher knows this; those in the habit of child abuse do not. A teacher once got so mad at one student who had 14 marks out of the 80 obtainable in an exam that he lamented in Yoruba "maa pa e loni, e bami wa egba!" (I will kill you today, someone should get me a cane). He did not kill the boy but he made sure the boy saw hell. If I were that boy, I won't assume a Nigerian teacher can't kill through beating. I would run away and never return to that torturing institution called school. Abuse could not have been something bigger than that.

I have observed that most Nigerian educational institutions - primary to tertiary - are only concerned about churning out academic graduates and good students. They are not in the business of producing graduates with the understanding of the basic rules of life and principles of responsibility. They produce outstanding students in law, engineering, accounting, philosophy, medicine, history and other fields. Yet, most of these outstanding students become national worries because they are finding it hard to be responsible citizens.  The point is we've had enough outstanding students - some doing good for themselves and others adding more to the problems of the nation. We need outstanding personalities. This extends beyond knowing the whole of modern Biology offhand, getting acquainted with all mathematical formulae or mastering the entire rules of concord. Good citizenship demands more than that. This cannot be achieved in the type of academic environments illustrated above where knowledge is acquired in the hard ways without minding what could become of such forceful learning.

Few days back, I came across the lamentation of a friend on Facebook. He was enraged by the treatment he got at the Central mosque in Ilorin all because he wanted to worship his Creator. My friend was neither drunk nor dressed in a manner worthy of being a security concern, but he was not allowed to enter the mosque. In his account, a Senator arrived after him and all the gates were opened while he and other "ordinary" men were eventually left with no choice but to observe their Jumaat (Friday prayer) on the road outside the mosque. I do not know if the Chief Imam or anyone in charge authorized that or were made aware of it, but it tells of the abuse common men suffer everywhere. I may not know much about the life of Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W), but with the little I have read about him, I can say inequality is a vice he detested and strongly condemned till His death. How come we want to further his mission through inequality? La ilaha illallah...

A couple of days later, another friend through the same medium related her observation at a Redeemed Church. This time, a man who was staggering to enter the church was pushed away by a woman at the entrance. Again, he struggled to rise, maybe drunk or weak, I do not know but he still got pushed and he fell. I inferred that the man in question may not have known anything, but he was certain that he needed to enter the church- he needed that moment with God. My friend proceeded to the market on her mission. The disturbing part was that, on her return she saw the man denied access to God sitting beside the church and weeping uncontrollably. Was the gathering not meant to celebrate the Jesus known as the "friend of sinners?" Was it not the same Jesus that ate at Zacchaeus' place? Was Jesus not the man that pardoned a prostitute? Even at death, He ensured that the thief at the right hand saw salvation. What a friend we have in Jesus, what a fate the man suffered in trying to meet Him!

Our parents as the presidents in our homes, should create enabling environments for their children to develop good interpersonal skills, sense of diplomacy, high self esteem, mutual respect and honesty. Most parents have failed in this duty; they are as bad as the government of the day.  Our teachers are the governors in the schools; they should know the concerns of each student and ensure there is fairness in the distribution of intellectual wealth. Most teachers have failed in this duty; they beat pupils and students, insult their reasoning and create inequality by licking the boots of the children of those with better social status. A place of worship should be a sanctuary for all persons who seek God – the poor, the weak, the tempted, the worried, the sick and the repentant. There is where their strength waits. Today, our religious places make the poor poorer, the weak at heart get weaker, temptations abound and worries keep growing. The keepers of faith and religion have failed in power. They have abandoned their primary calling for worldly missions. In fact, a church recently asked people to pay before they can enter and pray to the Lord that supposedly receives anybody regardless of status. The government may build roads, they cannot build our individual character, the government may maintain railways, they cannot maintain our attitudes to the next man, the government may provide free education, they cannot guarantee knowledge, there may be enough health facilities but without a healthy relationship and sense of responsibility, all is a waste.

Attitude is the key; our lack of a positive attitude is the problem. As long as most of us, if not all, will go through some or all these forms of abuse in life, national danger looms. The products of today's anomalies are the presidents, governors, senators, clerics, judges, legislators, teachers, parents and common men of tomorrow. By then, what will they offer since one can't give what he does not have?

its true

I don't want 2 b a pessimist but d truth is I think its a little too late for us undo dese damages that has been done. The problem quite clearly from your post portrays how the negative and usual Nigerian environment have an impact on a childs upbringing..truth be told most of us grew up with this harsh n forceful idea towards life. Even my dad would tell u hw hard n tough growing up was..its clearly a problem dat must be tackled 4rm d root..yet it becomes difficult to foresee a near end to all dis...since we nw c it as a norm in the society. Nevertheless mayb wen we begin to sort out ways of doing things properly n taking a lesson or 2 from d white...den dis whole negative and unfriendly attitude towards everything would change. D Nigerian government also have a role 2 play in all dese...wen we ar provided with d basic amenities n infrastructures. A common Nigerian tends to think less about how unfavourable his surrounding is...n its only wen a persons thought is filled with more of joy dan sadness and pain can he truly act and give his best

It just a matta of time.. We
will get there

nicely said op, i feel your pain, but the issue now is where do we start from in tackling these problems?

@op: I agree with you 100%. Good to know you are not alone, and that they are those who share certain strong views with you

There was a country