Important Notice: This article was not written to cause any mayhem/havoc to anyone, school and the country at large.

Nowadays, ask a genuine average Nigerian University Student that is in 300/400 level about what he/she wants to graduate with when leaving the higher institution? The ones that are more enlightened will say, let them just struggle to have a 2:1 (Second class upper) or even a 2:2 (Second class lower). While others who want the fame and see the rewards of their hard work will rather say they require a first class result.

Many federal universities are victims of this and one of the major factors is due to ASUU strike which happens to them. When ASUU goes on strike, it affects students in such a way that the plans they have will be affected.

Having made research on this topic, important factors have been highlighted that affects the orientation that students have about having a first-class grade. And they are;

1. Expected outcome

I could remember vividly when a friend of mine told me;

“Did you know that when a student graduates with a first class result from the higher institution, it is expected by society to get the very best from him/her, and when the person fails to give his/her best (i.e. finding solutions to challenging problems), his/her first class result will be concluded useless by the society then several assumptions like; maybe he/she bought that first class degree or he/she was privileged to get it in a chance. But someone who graduated with a 2:1 or a 2:2, as we all know, the society is expecting less from them (as they think they were not serious when they were in school). But if by any means the individual should find a remarkable/unprecedented solution to a problem, the society will be surprised at that and will want to honor him/her above that person who had a first class result and cannot prove it?”

Hmmmmm… There is this Yoruba saying which was formulated by Nigerian students which goes like this “Eni ti o mo way lo mo we” meaning “Only the ones that know the way knows book” and I presume that quote is only applicable in Nigeria. The “way” in this scenario is referred to as “connection(s)”, which means it is only when you have the right connections that you know the real “book” (I just hope you understand how it goes). Therefore, there is a kind of phobia in the minds of students about obtaining a first class result from the higher institution.

2. Stories of Great people

Education wise, where do you think the founder of Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple stopped? Steve Jobs the co-founder of apple went to Reed College somewhere in Oregon, and he could not carry on and dropped out, he explained his struggle in that college in his very well-known speech at Stanford. Also, Bill gate who was the founder of Microsoft was a drop out from Harvard University and he opened a shop in Mexico where he sells what he loves interest in doing (not related to Microsoft). Lastly, Mark Zuckerberg the originator of the most popular social media, Facebook, went to a private school, apparently, he is also privileged and as well as an extremely smart person. In Harvard days he with 3 to 4 other classmates started this web of a thing for small things for Harvard students as a social site and got expelled from the college because of a certain clash with Harvard policies.

Therefore students don’t actually believe that it is until you graduate with a first class result before you can be a success. Try to read “Why C students usually end up being the most successful”.

3. Social events around them

This is the most disturbing issue that student face. The activities that are happening on the social media have deviated the attention of the students and have greatly reduced their interests towards academics. For instance, the Big Brother Naija (#BBN) that was held few months ago which the winner went home with a sum of 25million naira compared with the best graduating student in a Nigerian university (name withheld for specific reasons) was given a sum of 10,000 naira only (but she was later appreciated with a sum of 500,000naira). Now come to think of it, of what benefit it is to go to school and waste some precious time studying and at the end of it all, the person will be appreciated with a little token? It is not by any means encouraging. (This is left to the government to restructure their educational policies to suit the students).

4. Late to seat up

Lol…. This is common to 300/400 level students. The thing is that they actually entered these levels with a very low CGPA and they realized that even if they have 5.00 as GPA in the current level (or semester), it won’t still take them to a first class. They, therefore, relent on pursuing that first class but work towards having a next better option to a first-class i.e. maybe a 2:1 or 2:2 (This tells you that for your building to stand firm, your foundation has to be rigid).

5. The absence of honor by reputable companies

Even many reputable companies in the world today are not interested in first-class candidates, but they are interested in the ones that will bring about positive changes/ development to the firm (maybe through ideas, hard work etc.)


Feel free to add yours below.............


source: https://www.titiloyeblog.com/2017/08/why-students-are-no-longer-interested.html

Cc: Lalasticlala, Mynd44

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Well-researched and so on point.

Very true. Another reason is lack of money. Parents, guidance and many of us have refuse to realize that for a student to come out with good grades, he/she must be financially stable. You don't expect an hungry stomach to read super hard for exams. This is a Nigerian factor, many students see not having money during exam period as normal they term it "injury period" but I call it poverty. Parents should understand that making a student financially comfortable in school does not necessarily calls for failure rather it has a way of boosting academic success. If your ward do not get money from you, they will definitely get it somewhere else. Which might interfere with their academics, hence lower grades.

Webbiey:
Very true. Another reason is lack of money. Parents, guidance and many of us have refuse to realize that for a student to come out with good grades, he/she must be financially stable. You don't expect an hungry stomach to read super hard for exams. This is a Nigerian factor, many students see not having money during exam period as normal they term it "injury period" but I call it poverty. Parents should understand that making a student financially comfortable in school does not necessarily calls for failure rather it has a way of boosting academic success. If your ward do not get money from you, they will definitely get it somewhere else. Which might interfere with their academics, hence lower grades.

This is so true.

Webbiey:
Very true. Another reason is lack of money. Parents, guidance and many of us have refuse to realize that for a student to come out with good grades, he/she must be financially stable. You don't expect an hungry stomach to read super hard for exams. This is a Nigerian factor, many students see not having money during exam period as normal they term it "injury period" but I call it poverty. Parents should understand that making a student financially comfortable in school does not necessarily calls for failure rather it has a way of boosting academic success. If your ward do not get money from you, they will definitely get it somewhere else. Which might interfere with their academics, hence lower grades.

I wish I could give you a thousand likes for this. My cousin got admitted at 15yrs of age but his father was sending him 10k per month. I mean a boy that young that needs money to function well and resist peer pressure and you're sending him 10k??.He's graduating this year with a 2.2 and I'm throwing him a party, im no easy

Webbiey:
Very true. Another reason is lack of money. Parents, guidance and many of us have refuse to realize that for a student to come out with good grades, he/she must be financially stable. You don't expect an hungry stomach to read super hard for exams. This is a Nigerian factor, many students see not having money during exam period as normal they term it "injury period" but I call it poverty. Parents should understand that making a student financially comfortable in school does not necessarily calls for failure rather it has a way of boosting academic success. If your ward do not get money from you, they will definitely get it somewhere else. Which might interfere with their academics, hence lower grades.

You and Op are so on point, me I'm not even bothering myself. I'm content with my 2:1, I pray I can be able to keep it rolling like that.

Jay1F:

I wish I could give you a thousand likes for this. My cousin got admitted at 15yrs of age but his father was sending him 10k per month. I mean a boy that young that needs money to function well and resist peer pressure and you're sending him 10k??.He's graduating this year with a 2.2 and I'm throwing him a party, im no easy

My dad sent me 4k per month when I was in school....that your cousin na big man