New York-based Bloomberg has shed light on Nigeria’s failing education system citing demoralizing scene of shortages of books, chalk and desks in Oyo school.
According to the report, Babalola Foluke, a 44-year-old teacher at Ibadan Municipal Government primary school in southwestern Nigeria faced shortage of books, chalks and desk to teach about 41 students.
The report also cited instance of non-payment of teachers’ salaries for several months.
“When Babalola Foluke enters her classroom at Ibadan Municipal Government primary school in southwestern Nigeria each morning she faces a demoralizing scene: shortages of books, chalk and desks for her 41 students. Often, she hasn’t been paid for several months
“Foluke, 44, is one of tens of thousands of teachers struggling to train the next generation in Africa’s most populous nation in a ramshackle school system gutted by corruption, a lack of investment and the flight of qualified instructors abroad and to private sector jobs.
“Nigeria’s education system is failing to arm its children with the skills they need to work in the banking, manufacturing and petroleum industries that drive the economy.
“When you have a lot of commitment and you don’t have money to do it, you won’t be able to concentrate on the pupil,” said Foluke, who’s been teaching for 18 years and earns about 75,000 naira ($200) a month. “When you are hungry, will you be able to do it?”
Deji Omole, a professor and ASUU chairman at the University of Ibadan, said, “Successive governments didn’t feel education was a priority.
“You have to fund education properly to retain your best brains; if not you’ll continue to lose them.”
Read full report HERE
