A Study On The Problems Facing Secondary School Education In Nigeria

A Study On The Problems Facing Secondary School Education In Nigeria

Abstract

This research work was carried out to investigate into the problems facing Secondary Education in Nigeria. Education is the bedrock of development. But unfortunately education in Nigeria is bisected with myriad’s of problems. This includes poor funding and thus poor educational infrastructures, inadequate classrooms, teaching aids (projectors, computer, laboratories and libraries), paucity of quality teachers and poor/polluted learning environment. For the standard of education improve, government need to re-address the issue of funding in education, parents, teachers and students should be reoriented towards achieving the goals of education. Also education must be made affordable for all and sundry. Technical education and innovation adaptation centers must be encouraged.

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Education is the process of bringing desirable change into the behavior of human beings. It can also be defined as the process of imparting or acquiring knowledge or habits through instruction.

Education, for any nation, whether developed or developing, is to help solve the problems that affect that nation. This is why according, is to National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004:4), “Government has stated that for the benefit of all citizens, the country‟s educational goals shall be clearly set out in terms of their relevance to the needs of their relevance to the needs of the individual and those of the society, in consonance with the realities of our environment and the modern world”.

Therefore, many nations after political independence had to turn their attentions to nations building by looking up to education as the tool to this end hoping that what is did to the “great power” it can also do for them (Williams/1970, in Omede and Omede, 2004). Education is obviously known to be an indispensable tool for national development (FRN, 2004). For education to be potent and useful, it must have to be indigenized that is, designed according to the prevailing needs of that particular society.

This explains why Nigeria educational system had since independence gone through series of reviews to commend it to the prevailing needs of the society. Yusuf and yusuf (2009) noted that the first serious attempt at reforming the educational program of the country took place in 19659 through a curriculum conference that was held in Lagos, and that the conference‟ recommendations led to the first post independent educational policy, tailored to meet the local needs of the nation. From independence till; now, the national policy on education, the documents that serve as the “ten commandments” for the nation’s educational practices had been reviewed for more than three time- 1977 (first draft),then revised in 1981, 1998 and 2004.

The revision is necessary but suggests one thing that our educational system is yet to meet the needs of the society satisfactorily and expected. There are glaring cases of underdevelopment due to lack of technological and industrial advancements, poor and inadequate infrastructural provision, unemployment as well as low and erratic electricity supply.

When the issue of Nigeria educational system today is raised, the first sets of thoughts that comes to mind are: decline in standard, deterioration of facilities, examination malpractices, mass promotion syndrome and the like before any other thing else. This calls for an in-depth study and analysis aimed at tutoring each and every stakeholders in the education system on how their actions and inactions have individually and collectively contributed to the collapsing state of education in Nigeria. In any case, knowledge and skill acquisition which education is all about cannot be over emphasized. According to the World Bank (1999: 25), “successful development entails more than investing in physical capital, or closing the gap in capital. It also entails acquiring and using knowledge as well as closing the gaps in knowledge”. So this study focuses on the problems facing secondary school education in Nigeria, using secondary schools in Agege LGA as a case study.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The education system of Nigeria is gradually deteriorating, there are some many ignored challenges facing the secondary school education in Nigeria.

As for teaching staff in Nigeria primary and secondary school today, the problem is no longer that of unavailability, but that of instability. This does not help the development of the education system. Because of the comparatively poorer conditions of service of teachers in the Nigeria society, the tendency for many teaching in the nation’s school today, as was the case with their predecessors in later colonial and independent Nigeria, is to use the teaching profession as a stepping stone to other highly esteemed and more attractive jobs.

In consequence, teaching is gradually becoming a profession for fresh graduates of universities and colleges of education who are ready to call it quit, without provocation, as soon as they find greener pasture elsewhere.

Experts in the education sector has been able to identify examination malpractices with poor preparation of students for an examination, and lack of self-confidence. In view of the rising costs of education (school fees, enrolment fees, cost of books and other materials) students and even their parents will not ordinarily want to be held back by any form of deficit or failure in any of the required subjects, hence will go to any length to ensure success.

A close assessment of activities in schools have revealed that, students are made to suffer undue amount of exploitation by school heads at both private and public schools in the name of enrolment fees and assurance of success in their examination and this they do in collaboration with the ministry officials who are suppose to inspect and monitor activities in schools to ensure standard compliance. All these problems make it glaring that there is a need to carry out a study on the problems facing secondary school education in Nigeria, using secondary schools in Agege LGA as a case study.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The general objective of this study is to carry out a study on the problems facing secondary school education in Nigeria, using secondary schools in Agege LGA as a case study.

The specific objectives are:

1. To ascertain the influence of unstable staff on school education in Nigeria.
2. To find out the effect of inadequate classroom accommodation in secondary schools in Agege LGA on secondary school in Nigeria.
3. To examine if examination malpractices is a problem facing secondary school education in Nigeria.
4. To investigate if there are well Equipped Libraries, Laboratories And Subject Rooms in secondary schools in Agege LGA
5. 5. To examine the influence of politicization of education on secondary school education in Nigeria.

1.4 Research Questions

The relevant research questions related to this study are:

1. What is the influence of unstable staff on school education in Nigeria?
2. What is the effect of inadequate classroom accommodation in secondary schools in Agege LGA on secondary school in Nigeria?
3. Is examination malpractices a problem facing secondary school education in Nigeria?
4. Are there well Equipped Libraries, Laboratories And Subject Rooms in secondary schools in Agege LGA?
5. What is the influence of politicization of education on secondary school education in Nigeria?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The relevance of education in Nigeria and the global world makes it important to carry out this study. This study is significant to students, stakeholders in the educational sector of Nigeria and the government. The findings of this study are relevant to students because it elucidate the influence of students on the problems facing secondary school education in Nigeria.

The findings from this study inform stakeholders and the government on the decadence of the secondary school education in Nigeria and their responsibilities in addressing the issue.

This study will enhance the existing body of literature by contemplating the areas of the literature that have not yet been examined or considered and incorporating these factors into the current study. The study will thus form the basis for further studies in the field.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is restricted to the study on the problems facing secondary school education in Nigeria, using secondary schools in Agege LGA as a case study.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

Some of the major constraints the researchers encountered in putting up this research include lack of time, lack of willingness to give information by respondent and also limited resources.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Education:

Is the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:

5.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes the findings on the challenges affecting the standard of secondary education in Nigeria using some selected senior Secondary Schools in Agege LGA Lagos State as a case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.

5.2 Summary of the Study

In this study, our focus was on the challenges affecting the standard of secondary education in Nigeria using some selected senior Secondary Schools in Agege LGA Lagos State as a case study. The study is was specifically set to identify the attitudes of the senior secondary school student to the teaching and learning in school, those parental attitudes that can influence teaching and learning in secondary schools, the contribution of government towards the standard of secondary education, and how the standard of education in Nigeria can be improved.

The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 100 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent were teachers in the ten(10) selected senior Secondary Schools in Agege LGA Lagos State.

5.3 Conclusions

In the light of the analysis carried out, the following conclusions were drawn.

1. The attitudes of the senior secondary school students that affects teaching and learning in school include; absenteeism, poor interest in learning certain subjects, poor reading habit, assessments misconducts, and intentional distraction.
2. The parental attitudes that can influence teaching and learning in secondary schools include; withdrawal of children from school, fighting the school teachers, none provision of text books for their children, late payment of school fees, and poor involvement in children education.
3. The contribution of the Nigerian government towards the standard of secondary education are; establishment of standard curriculum, establishment of regulating body, provision of external supervisors, and integration of ICT into education.
4. To improve the standard of education in Nigeria, the following should be done; recruitment and training of additional teachers, adequate funding, curbing examination malpractices, curbing wastage in secondary education, regular and effective inspection of secondary schools, and review of secondary education curriculum.
5. There should be effective teaching and learning among the secondary school student in order to achieve standard education.
6. Qualified and experience teachers should be provided to enhance learning.

5.4 Recommendation

Based on the findings the researcher recommends;

1. Government should increase budgetary allocation of funds to the education sector. this will enhance sponsorship of seminars, conferences and provision of basic facilities in secondary schools
2. Primary education which serves as a recruitment ground for secondary schools should be given proper funding, supervision and regular recruitment of teachers to enhance quality products. This is so because the quality of the primary education products have direct consequences on the quality produced by secondary education
3. Government should refrain from frequent change of educational policies that are ambiguous with marked difference from the existing ones that may leave the school principals confused in the process of implementation
4. The government should make teaching a very attractive profession by promptly paying her teachers salaries and other benefits. This will curtail frequent industrial actions often embarked upon by teachers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are there secondary schools in southern Nigeria?

Secondary Schools in Southern Nigeria With specific reference to Secondary Schools in Southern Nigeria, the ever – growing proportion of children of school age that stormed available primary schools created an impression and great eagerness in the missionaries and the colonial government that there were suitable pupils for secondary education.

What is the importance of Education in Nigeria?

The structure of secondary school in Nigerian historical perspective Education has been universally accepted as a major indication of a community’s social well-being standard of living and social justice.

What is the colonial policy on secondary education in Nigeria?

Count Down on Secondary Education in Nigeria One thing that needs to be remembered about the colonial policy on secondary education in Nigeria since its inception in 1959 is that whatever be the kind of defects inherent in the system, the opportunity provided lesson for future education development.

Where were secondary commercial schools in Nigeria in 1960s?

Secondary commercial schools were not very common in the northern region, but there were popular ones like the commercial college in Bukuru, and in the late 1960’s the commercial colleges in Kano and Okene.