Are private schools are better than public schools? This has been a topic of interest to a wide spectrum of the Nigeria society – parents, academics and government officials. While the majority opinion seems to be that the private schools are better than the public ones, there is no empirical data to support this.

Most parents recognize the importance of quality education to the future of their children. Hence, the sacrifice they make to ensure that their kids have the best in education. And to a lot of people, quality education equals private school education. Some parents spend as much as 60 percent of their income on school fees.
But, are these high costs of private education justified?

A look at students’ performances in WASSCE in public and private secondary schools across Nigeria over three years paints a rather surprising picture.

In 2016, 172,821 students from different private secondary schools across Nigeria sat for the WAEC examination. Out of which a total of 63,077 made five credits and above including English and Mathematics. This represents 36.5% of the total number of students that sat for the exam.

On the other hand, across the country, a total of 1,543,974 public secondary students sat for WAEC exam in 2016. 807,780 of these public schools students made five credits and above. This represents 52.3% of the total number of students.

2017 data paints an even stupefying picture. That year, only 24% (32,000) of the 133,258 students that sat for WASSCE in private schools made 5 credits and above (including Mathematics and English). On the other hand, the pass rate (credit in 5 or more subjects including English and Mathematics) for public schools was 56.53% (881,039) out of a total of 1,558,452 that sat for the exams.

While in 2018, 33.81% of the total students in private schools made five credits and above, while 48.15% of those in public schools made five credits and above (including Mathematics and English).

See the graph below for a detailed breakdown.

Most public schools cheat their way to "success".

Hungry and angrys Invigilators are ready to fail any school that doesn't compromise..

The only thing this Private schools have is packaging.

And nothing to show for it

They are merely offering 'stale wine ' at an exorbitant price.






@Lordisaac, let know your sources next time.

Don't know about waec, my son wrote the state common entrance in pry 4 at a public school, he said they were dictating answers to them. When he wrote the same exam as a pupil of his private school in pry 5, no such thing happened.

If you taught during nysc, you know the drill.

Notwithstanding, there are brilliant students in all schools.

During time for enrolment the academically backward students in the government school which is close to 99% go to the private schools to enrol because that's were they are sure of cheating, so the only once left in the government schools are does that are really sure they will pass the exam without malpractice. Thus the reason for their suppose success, not that the government school teach better than the private school, the good students their are product of self /personal development.
My write up is based on my knowledge of schools in Benin.

LordIsaac:
Most public schools cheat their way to "success".

Private secondary schools are not exempted either

Since the prevalent increase in examination malpractices by many students and schools, it is difficult to rely on this result to judge which school is better off. That is why many universities do not use SSCE results to grade screening test for students seeking admission into tertiary institutions. Until the various exam body curtail the level of malpractices relying on such result to draw conclusion may seem biased by the reporter or researcher.

Since the prevalent increase in examination malpractices by many students and schools, it is difficult to rely on this result to judge which school is better off. That is why many universities do not use SSCE results to grade screening test for students seeking admission into tertiary institutions. Until the various exam body curtail the level of malpractices relying on such result to draw conclusion may seem biased by the reporter or researcher.

Olayomi International School, Arometa,Eleyele,Ibadan. Hmmmmmmm !
Nemesis will surely catch on you soon.�