Nigeria itself is a failure! So am not surprised.

i remember my mum and dad telling me that if i didnt pass my WAEC exams at 1 sitting, that they were going to send me to be the apprentice of a mechanic. i read like my life depended on it cos i didnt want to be a mechanic. looking back now, i can see that they were not really serious and just wanted me to buckle up, but i believed their threat and passed my exams in 1 sitting.

i wonder what is the way foward for parents these days cos such threats would not work with kids of these days

When you are mentioning the failure rates of high school leavers, what do you say of failure at undergraduate level. You meet some graduates and you wonder if they even went to secondary school at all. I have been opportuned to invigilate grown up men and women doing postgraduate programmes and you see them looking here and there in search of what is not missing, waiting for you to look the other way for them to unleash terror in the exam room.

Grown men with mustache and beards, men that drive big cars and are the timbers of our society. It definitely a legacy laid down. Even senior civil servants in government circles cheat when they have promotional exams.

The outcome of this exam only goes to further show the level of decadence in the educational sector and all other sectors of our society.

This gives the nation something to ponder on as she attains half a century!

the problem is the government doesn't care much either when guys like sam egwu are allowed to sniff the post of minister of education

Pornodude:

i remember my mum and dad telling me that if i didnt pass my WAEC exams at 1 sitting, that they were going to send me to be the apprentice of a mechanic. i read like my life depended on it cos i didnt want to be a mechanic. looking back now, i can see that they were not really serious and just wanted me to buckle up, but i believed their threat and passed my exams in 1 sitting.

i wonder what is the way foward for parents these days cos such threats would not work with kids of these days

, All the threats recieved from our parents then really helped us, you just realised that asking you to choose either to be a bricklayer or to be mechanic if you failed your WAEC, Is as thesame as your parents planing a firing squad for you after a woeful perfomance, 
But now many of these failed students will tell you that {AYE N SE IRU EE}, meaning no big deal in having F9s it has happened to some people before.,

The problems facing the educational sector is multi-faceted, we first of all have to look at the people teaching these students, they are either frustrated University and Polytechnic graduates or NCE holders who got in with P8 in English and Mathematics, how can a dullard teach a dullard? It is only a tiny fraction that is qualified to teach these students. The other issue is the total neglect of the Primary and Secondary Schools by Government, I can not imagine what the syllabus is like nowadays, at least it does not cost much to upgrade the Syllabus, what of funding, zero. The third factor I see is the parents, they are helping their wards look for orijo (cheat papers), imagine that nonsense. Someone called in to a radio program and said that teachers are complaining that children dont want to learn, the response was children naturally are resistant to learning, it is the teacher that inculcates the learning culture in them. The fourth wahala is the students themselves, they lack any drive, they are not ambitious, they are just going through the motion, they will rather yahoo, yahoo than read their books, they will rather facebook than read their books. The fifth wahala is the examination bodies themselves, their questions are tailored towards cramming and passing, I do not know when last they objectively reviewed their content, also I was coming back from Benin one day and saw the vehicle conveying exams sheets involved in a road accident, the papers were strewn all over the road, the state of the vehicle left much to be desired.
The solution is very simple, make teaching a career where excellent teachers are guaranteed progress, make it difficult to become a teacher and reward appropriately, I believe teachers should earn more than all these customer support people in banks and telecoms, make the teaching profession attractive and competitive, spend money on infrastructure, enforce compulsory schooling, de-emphasise white collar jobs for blue collar jobs and revamp the bloody syllabus. There are so many things to be done in the educational sector, please let others contribute, my hand don dey pain me.

Let me lend my voice to this topic.
It is an undenyable fact that most of our students today {even those in tertiary institutions} are generally unserious. They no longer see hard studies as a tool for success in examinations rather, they go for the "easy way."
however, in some cases, these educational cows in the sector contribute to the failure of some of these students.
Let's not forget that every student now wishes to go to the university, and in a situation where the government can not provide educational facilities that can absorb these students into the tertiary institution, what then do you expect- they will do all they could just to frustrate the dreams of these students via the O level result knowing too well that without a good O level result, they would give up on their tertiary dreams for that year and start thinking of how to re-sit.
I had this experience in my days. I don't mean to brag, but the truth is: during my primary and secondary school days, my position has never exceeded 1st, 2nd or 3rd. But when it was time for WAEC, I wrote my heart out but when the result came, all i could get was just 4 credits and without English. This completely frustrated my tertiary potentials for that year.
However, the next year, i came back and showed them the substance i was made of. I cleared everything, having my results nicely decorated with A{s} and B{s} and WAEC could'nt stop me this time.
Lots of my clever friends have also had this experience.
So let's not only blame the students but also the government who knows that if many students happen to pass, the number of students who will be seeking admission will increase beyond their capacity which means a shame to them.

they are busy planning to conduct 2011 election,let us take this to GEJ on FB so that he will see the FUTURE OF THIS NIGERIA after all he is the first citizen of Nigeria now.

Fant:

Let me lend my voice to this topic.
It is an undenyable fact that most of our students today {even those in tertiary institutions} are generally unserious. They no longer see hard studies as a tool for success in examinations rather, they go for the "easy way."
however, in some cases, these educational cows in the sector contribute to the failure of some of these students.
Let's not forget that every student now wishes to go to the university, and in a situation where the government can not provide educational facilities that can absorb these students into the tertiary institution, what then do you expect- they will do all they could just to frustrate the dreams of these students via the O level result knowing too well that without a good O level result, they would give up on their tertiary dreams for that year and start  thinking of  how to re-sit.
I had this experience in my days. I don't mean to brag, but the truth is: during my primary and secondary school days, my position has never exceeded 1st, 2nd or 3rd. But when it was time for WAEC, I wrote my heart out but when the result came, all i could get was just 4 credits and without English. This completely frustrated my tertiary potentials for that year.
However, the next year, i came back and showed them the substance i was made of. I cleared everything, having my results nicely decorated with A{s} and B{s} and WAEC could'nt stop me this time.
Lots of my clever friends have also had this experience.
So let's not only blame the students but also the government who knows that if many students happen to pass, the number of students who will be seeking admission will increase beyond their capacity which means a shame to them.

can you substantiate on the fact that government adopted quota system in the release of results or you are just making it up. .

Abeg there is no quota system.

Pass or fail, Nigeria remain same in terms of corruption. Our leaders with all the degrees in this world remain looters of treasury and epitome of leadership failure. Of what use is the paper qualification to Nigerians?

Well clearly everyone is not destined to be a graduate and the truth is that there are still not enough university places for those that actually passed their exams.

I would hope those that are not academically inclined would get the opportunity to learn a trade or a craft.

I really blame some of the parents,the wise ones send their kids to better schools while some employ private tutors.But unfortunately most dont bother,they spend less on their kids,they dont even go through the kids books to get acquanted with what their kids are doing in school.
The education system in nigeria is a shambles,it is really a mess.I had the opportunity to sit down with one of my nephews who attends one of the local schools in surulere.What i saw,what i read was incredible.i had to pay for a private lession centre for the kid,but still he couldnt pass his exams.His parents on the other hand felt i was too hard on the kid.This guy failed english and maths and could only pass agric science yet he wants to study chemical engineering, imagine , even his attitude is poor.

he is in ss2,so next year he will be taking the weac exams or what ever exams they actually do now.Does he stand a chance,well,there is no need to seek a soothsayer here,he is pretty much doomed.But if his parents had been wise they would have been encouraging me, instead they sit of their asses and watch their own child drown in his own ineptitude.My kids are doing very well,because i spend the time with them and obviously i am very tough with them,whether we accept this or not,education is key,it gives one the chance to get a better life.We cant all be politicians or contractors,some of us have to sweat for a living.

pity

~Bluetooth:

can you substantiate on the fact that government adopted quota system in the release of results or you are just making it up. .

You are actually missing the excellent point he made. Because of the shortage of university places at federal universities  is in the interest of the education ministry to restrict the actual number of successful candidates  to manageable levels.

[color=#990000][/color] it aint students' fault. The govt is bleeped up real bad. WAEC was harder during my time but I made it even a B3 in Physics where I learnt practical in SS3. I expected an A1 in NECO maths cos it was to cheap but got a D7. Students in JSS1 marking scripts of SS3, is that fair. The government failed to scrutinize these bastardly act. Nigeria govt sucks.

Felixv:

I really blame some of the parents,the wise ones send their kids to better schools while some employ private tutors.But unfortunately most dont bother,they spend less on their kids,they dont even go through the kids books to get acquanted with what their kids are doing in school.
The[b] education system in nigeria is a shambles[/b],it is really a mess.I had the opportunity to sit down with one of my nephews who attends one of the local schools in surulere.What i saw,what i read was incredible.i had to pay for a private lession centre for the kid,but still he couldnt pass his exams.His parents on the other hand felt i was too hard on the kid.This guy failed english and maths and could only pass agric science yet he wants to study chemical engineering, imagine , even his attitude is poor.

Well I wouldn't generalize as wildy as that. The truth is that the pre-university educational system in Nigeria is extremely competitive. So in that wise the more proactive parents do give their child a competitive advantage. There are simply not enough federal university places for those who want them.

This is heart-wrenching. How could they fail that way, twice in a row? The parents play a part in it, sure but I think the teachers in schools should start seating for exams before being accredited (the way they do over here). If the teachers are motivated, they will take more interest in the subjects being taught.

I think the Minister of Education is failing woefully and needs to be admonished.

onufidel:

[color=#990000][/color] it aint students' fault. The govt is bleeped up real bad. WAEC was harder during my time but I made it even a B3 in Physics where I learnt practical in SS3. I expected an A1 in NECO maths cos it was too cheap but got a D7. Students in JSS1 marking scripts of SS3, is that fair. The government failed to scrutinize these bastardly act,

Well it is never a good sign for a paper in a competitive exam to be too cheap. It just means that the marking scheme would be that much harsher.

tensor777:

You are actually missing the excellent point he made. Because of the shortage of university places at federal universities  is in the interset of the education ministry to restrict the actual number of successful candidates  to manageable levels.

I know of quota system in the civil service but I'm hearing this educational quota system for the first time,so i need further proof from him to authenticate his point.

~Bluetooth:

I know of quota system in the civil service but I'm hearing this educational quota system for the first time,so i need further proof from him to authenticate his point.

Well it is not as formal as that in the civil service but it is more about setting the exams and marking schemes in such a way that the total number of candidates who get good grades is restricted.

This does not mean a state or sectional quota as happens in the civil service.

As a soon to be mother I feel that I have to add my 2 cents here.

This situation is worse than u all are seeing - forget how many people failed this year - these children are our future and if they cannot compete with children from around the world on an equal footing what will that do for the nation in the next 10 years. We already have so called university graduates who cannot write coherent English sentences yet claim to be educated. when the only people that can get a decent job are those educated abroad or in private schools in Nigeria - i think we are storing up problems for a frustrated future.

yes we can all sit down and say in my day my parents did this and that but i truly believe that a large section of today's parents really don't care or understand what being a parent is all about, i don't know what it is maybe they are so concentrated on putting food on the table or chasing naira they forget their fundamental duty when they bring another human being in this world.

some may say the students that failed are poor - but are u telling me that all rich people that send their kids to private school have intelligent children?? i doubt that. a lot of schools in Nigeria are not adequately equipped for the 21st century. Imagine kids here are able to submit their homework online (in the UK) however, there are children in Nigeria who will never see a computer in their school throughout their primary or secondary education. I don't want to start doing compare and contrast but some things need to be mentioned.

The government don't care cos their children are either in schools abroad or in the best private schools in Nigeria so what is their own.

Nobody likes learning and what i find extremely annoying with these kids of today is tomorrow when they can't even get a job in Mr Biggs they start blaming others for their misfortune and become parasites to members of their family who managed to do something with their life.

The problems are too complex for us to decipher here on NL but i think we should not be putting the majority of the blame on the students - please remember they are children and their secondary school exams is a culmination of what they have learnt over 5 years and not just in year 5 bad teaching will produce failing (or whatever its called). Me personally I lay the blame with the teachers, education ministry and parents. Also the wider society that now encourages students to be reality stars, footballers, politicians or musicians being academic is no longer "cool".

Lol!! The problem is that children are simply not hardworking enough, the ones that failed.

tensor777:

Well it is not as formal as that in the civil service but it is more about setting the exams and marking schemes in such a way that the total number of candidates who get good grades is restricted.

This does not mean a state or sectional quota as happens in the civil service.

It's still base on his speculation and totally disagree with your point cuz most good grades do actually come from the north.how do you explain that when everyone know what's happening in the north ?

look th first thing they do over here in the uk is to first established if u have learning difficulties if you do they provide an alternative way of doing the same course.
second thing is that they also try to know what kind of learner you are whether you are a visual learner or what ever the reason for this is just so they know what method they can apply in teaching you,
but in nigeria we just resume and they start dictating to you not realising that many of us cant hear or even if they decide to write they also fail to realise that a nu,mber of us can understand untill they renforce the teaching and before the end of a semester they arrange what they call tutorials  where u have to meetr one to one with your tutor/teacher.
but if it were to be in nigeria teachers will take an advantage of the one to one system and talk her into some thing else.
speaking of dressing come to the uk and they even dree worse but not enough reason for arrassement.
we must change our ways. the system is rotten and changes need to be made in the way we are being taught in our schools.

this is bad o

These series of failures make my hair stand each time I thnk of the fate of my unborn children.
Who will be the teachers in my children's school days? these failures?God help me!

Mobinga:

Lol!! The problem is that children are simply not hardworking enough, the ones that failed.

Judging by what others have said, the kids are not the only one to blame.

Are the parents actually helping them? I'm not talking about only motivational [abuses].
Do the teachers know what they're teaching and are they trying their hardest to reach out to the students? I.E Can awon omo ile iwe understand what they're learning? If they dont, do they have anyone to go to for more help?

Odunnu:

These series of failures make my hair stand each time I thnk of the fate of my unborn children.
Who will be the teachers in my children's school days? these failures?God help me!

LWKMD. . .anyways maybe things would have been better by the time your unborn children arrive

Ileke-IdI:

Judging by what others have said, the kids are not the only one to blame.

Are the parents actually helping them? I'm not talking about only motivational [abuses].
Do the teachers know what they're teaching and are they trying their hardest to reach out to the students? I.E Can awon omo ile iwe understand what they're learning? If they dont, do they have anyone to go to for more help?

The highest an average parent can do is to send their children for extra-moral classes,they have other stuff to attend to than sit with the children to know how they are coping with their education.

~Bluetooth:

LWKMD. . .anyways maybe things would have been better by the time your unborn children arriveThe highest an average parent can do is to send their children for extra-moral classes,they have other stuff to attend to than sit with the children to know how they are coping with their education.

REALLY, what else does a parent have to attend to than showing interest in their childs education and future

i don't know about u but my father had a full time job and worked hard but still found time to teach me my times tables and check my homework and help out almost everyday.

the highest is not extra moral lesson but showing an avid interest in their education and what they are actually earning in school - but with saying that if these kids are failing now - what are they going to teach their own kids?

and people wonder why a lot of the youth back home have hidden complexes when they meet people who can display and apply their knowledge.

ada24:

but with saying that if these kids are failing now - what are they going to teach their own kids?

and people wonder why a lot of the youth back home have hidden complexes when they meet people who can display and apply their knowledge.

Well not all of them are that educated as to be able to prepare their kids for highly competitive external exams.  I am sure most of them  do the best they can.

ada24:

REALLY, what else does a parent have to attend to than showing interest in their childs education and future

i don't know about u but my father had a full time job and worked hard but still found time to teach me my times tables and check my homework and help out almost everyday.

the highest is not extra moral lesson but showing an avid interest in their education and what they are actually earning in school - but with saying that if these kids are failing now - what are they going to teach their own kids?

and people wonder why a lot of the youth back home have hidden complexes when they meet people who can display and apply their knowledge.

And how many percentage of parents have that time to sit with their children everyday to attend to their homework ? I'm an average nigeria parent  ?

~Bluetooth:

Your write-up really showed that you know nothing about nigeria.A quick visit to a barbing saloon in lagos would have educated you more where you find kids playing PS games with just #20 while premiership games cost you just #50.No luxury attached at all.

MR Money £:


Have you forgotten that there are alot of one man biz out there, that  have shops where these kids pay 100 naira or so  to play Ps3 and also pay money to watch live premiership watches in these same shops, so forget it they have assess to ps3 and co ?

The mental image you folk have of these kids are people living in middle class homes in an urban setting.
There are hundreds of thousands of these candidates living in rural environments. There are hundreds of thousands of these kids that go straight home from school with little avenue for diversion. And even for those who play games in public saloons, how many of them can have the time or money to spend more than 30 minutes daily playing games?

This whole PS3 and DSTV stuff is just an excuse. The blame should be put squarely on poor parenting and an extremely poor educational system. Distractions are always present, it's how you manage them that matters. See people blaming the premiership, on average how many people spend more than 4 hours in a week watching Premier League matches?

In my secondary school days, i didn't have DSTV or the Internet. I read Novels copiously. I spent at least 30 mins daily reading fiction. My Dad made darn sure i made out enough time for reading. That is what parents are supposed to do!

@Bluetooth I taught for one year during my NYSC in a village secondary school. None of those folks were playing PS2 or watching premiership. They simply went home after school to cook, clean, sell in the market and then sleep. No time for reading, no interest from their parents. The school itself was beyond pathetic. In that year, only ONE SS3 student made credits in both Maths and English. Shebi na PS3 or DSTV cause am?

You people need to realize that there is life outside Lagos.