Of teachers and the rot in the school system

The following conversation ensued between two women; a market woman and a public school teacher. The public school teacher was at the market to purchase some goods from the former. They started a conversation on the postponement of schools resumption meant to allow government put preventive measures in place to contain the spread of Ebola virus. It goes thus:

Market Woman: Good morning madam, how is your family?

Teacher: Very fine, thank you.

Market Woman: (while attending to her) my friend, don’t you think this holiday is rather too elongated? I feel it’s not so good for the children to stay too long out of school.

Teacher: No, but in what way? Let them stay at home and enjoy themselves jare…, omo ti’ o ku o feeli- (meaning a child who is not dead has not failed…)

Market Woman: (Taken aback)….but I think teachers should be more concerned with consistency in the learning process of these children

Teacher: Enh eh, what’s is our own, Parents, who desire the best for their children should better fasten their seat belts ……

Market Woman: (Handing her goods over to her)….o ga o- meaning that’s serious then.

Ruminating over the responses of the so-called teacher ignited the concern of this writer on what our educational system in Nigeria has turned out to be. Teachers who are supposed to know better and protect the interest of the cause they seem to believe in and that of their wards are now less concerned. After all, this is a path they have chosen; a call to destiny building and moulding. Hmmmm…Oga ta, oga o ta owo alaaru a pe is one cliché that should not be found on the lips of one who knows that what is worth doing at all, is worth doing well. Such statement depicts hopelessness and decadence which we now see in those who are saddled with the responsibility of raising the future leaders.

Where are the teachers of old? The Tai Solarins and the rest of them; these were men, who were born to teach, not really for money- making, but derived pleasure in making men.

One needs to see more of the lackadaisical attitudes of some of these care-free teachers in the public schools of today, because their children are not enrolled in such schools. It is, indeed, true that, where the treasure of a man is, there his heart will be. They know the rot in these so called Jerusalem of theirs, though they are contributors to some of the mess; they put all the blame on the government. Children, whose parents teach in the public schools system, now attend private schools. Their parents seem to be conscious of the damages, but they assumed the picture of the proverbial dog who carried his mother to dwell in heaven after having helped other dogs to kill and feast on the fleshes of their mothers….we all know the end of the story.

In order for them to think of how to better the lots of these innocent souls whom God has put in their care, they are busy doing their own things; all sorts of buying and selling go on during school hours, not minding whose ox is gored. Who gives a hoot! Who cares! Before, the reason for negligence in public school teaching was attributed to teachers’ low salaries, but the amazing thing is, even when the Gbemu increment era gradually rolled in, it didn’t change anything. It’s like the deed is done already. The unenthusiastic attitudes have eaten deep into the fabrics of teachers in the public schools across the country. It is a national disaster; that is from the North to the South and from the East to West. I pity this generation! Little wonder we now have yearly mass failure in WAEC exams!

Meanwhile, in private schools, where stipends are paid to teachers, there seem to be more discipline and commitment towards the well-being and academic success of these young souls willy-nilly. There seem to be sanity and alignment of purpose in the systems. Here, it’s the direct opposite of what goes on in the public schools. The teachers are sapped and are used up beyond what they bargained for. They are made to toil from dawn till dusk, only to be paid a stipend at the end of the month. The owners get all they can, can all they get and sit on the can, courtesy of the efforts of these teachers. “The labourers are under a scourging sun, while the consumers wine and dine under the shade,” so says the Yoruba adage. The ownership influence is really on the high side. The key word “Private” finds expression in the attitude of the so called school owners towards the staffers. In some private schools, teachers are subjected to all manners of duties aside from the teaching career they came to pursue; it is from driving to cleaning, sweeping and all manners of errand running. It is often said that the person who has the head may not have a befitting cap at times. I take solace in the truth that God is a “rewarder”; He surely does reward faithful stewards.

Despite the efforts of the present government administration in bringing sanity to public schools in the country…all has been to no avail. Teachers keep enjoying the so called largesse being served them every month. They blame the problems of the repeated mass failure solely on the students and their parents, excusing their gross incompetences.

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