Stakeholders  have urged education sector policy makers in the country to return to the drawing board and review the school curriculum, in order to set measurable goals for all subjects and lay a solid foundation for improving the secondary school system.
Rising from a one-day national stakeholders dialogue with the theme: “Deconstructing the Continuing Crises of Standards and Performance in Nigerian Secondary Schools,” participants, in a communiqué, also affirmed that education should not be left with teachers alone. They insisted that parents must take part in strengthening the education system.
Organized by Volunteercorps, a non-governmental organization last November in Lagos, the summit also called for the reinstatement of teaching as a noble profession “by training teachers in current global teaching methodologies and also motivating them through an appropriate award system.”
Partnership with organisations, such as the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), the communiqué noted, should be developed “to push for government’s implementation of findings and recommendations” from the summit.
There was a consensus among participants the since education remains the bedrock of development, standards and performances in Nigerian schools must be challenging enough to meet the needs of students and the society.
In order to meet students’ needs, they observed that the curricula in the sciences, technical and vocational education “must be enhanced with the provision of modern facilities.”
Besides, to successfully manage and rebuild education in Nigeria, information on needs and impact assessment, they submitted, must be gathered to pave the way for effective intervention.
In addition, funds invested in education “must be tracked and accounted for.”
Chairman of the organisation’s Board of Trustees, Prof Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe told the participants in his opening remarks that the falling standards and performance in the secondary school system had become a source of worry to many stakeholders.
Speakers at the event which had two sessions were: Dr Keziah Awosika, a Research Economist and Coordinator of Women and Law Development Centre; Dr Leke Pitan, former Lagos State Commissioner for Health and Education, and Dr Modupe Adefeso-Olateju, Managing Director of the Education Partnership Centre.
Panelists included Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, former Executive Director of Corona Schools Trust Fund, Mr. Afolabi Imokhuiede, Mrs. Iyadunni Olabode, Ms. Toyosi Akerele, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje and Mr. Gbadebo Adejana.