Education issues: Open letter to Kano state governor
By ISA ADO ABUBAKAR
isabakar2001@yahoo.com
I WAS delighted to have listened to the speech of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano state, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau at the state House of Assembly on the December 20, 2006, where he presented the 2007 appropriation budget to the honourable members. The 2007 budget is termed as “budget of consolidation” and education got the lion share of N8,615,802,548, representing 16 per cent of the total amount.
Indeed, this is a remarkable achievement as the amount earmarked to education exceeds the proposed 15 per cent budgetary allocation of the sector by United Nations. This is a clear manifestation of the level of commitment, determination and aspiration of the present administration under your able leadership to revamp the education sector. Moreover, the measure is equally consistent with one of the cardinal objectives of human development of the administration as it is only through education, meaningful development could be achieved.
Sir, your administration has so far been spending huge amount of money on education since inception, particularly in areas of staff recruitment, construction of additional classes and hostels, laboratory equipment, library, facilities, newly introduced teachers’ allowances etc. There is no doubt that these efforts have contributed in one way or the other but the outcome is less when compared to the amount spent. I always ask myself why this is so? Because, thousands of teachers have been recruited but there is still complaint of inadequate teachers as well as quality of education provided. The number of schools as well as that of classrooms have increased, yet congestion in the classes is not overcome. Equipment and facilities for teaching and learning have engulfed huge amount, still, inadequate teaching and learning materials complaint is the order of the day. Postings and transfers are still being carried out, yet complaint is still there. Equally, staff welfare has been the source of argument, despite the recent effort.
Sir, I’m sure all the efforts being made by the present administration are geared toward addressing the above mentioned problems.
In view of the above, I write to shade light on the ways out of these problems in order to complement government effort in revamping the education sector. The only way to revamp the sector is to change approach towards tackling the above mentioned problems.
Sir, as you are very much aware of the fact that teachers in school system are to be considered first before any other things. The quality of teachers and teaching have to receive priority attention and it can be achieved through a designed teaching policy . Teaching is a profession just like any other profession such as accounting, medicine, law, engineering etc. Possession of degree in any of the above field does not automatically qualified one to be in practice, unless he/she is certified by the relevant body. Teaching should follow the same trend here in Kano by implementing the proposed plan which is aimed at improving the quality of both teachers and teaching.
The emergence of Teachers Registration Council (TRC) is a gigantic move but the manner in which everybody who obtained teaching qualification get registered, will not yield the desired result. However, the state government should utilize this initiative in order to obtain minimum productivity in the education system.
Sir, creation of Teachers Development Centre (TDC) will play an important role in improving the quality of teachers, teaching and products. The centre should serve as an avenue for providing training of both newly recruited teachers and existing ones. Newly recruited teachers should undergo three months of rigorous training in the centre before they are integrated into schools for their primary assignment. This measure will provide them with required teaching skills.
The TDC should be made to contain the following units:
(i) English Language Development Unit (ELDU) – This unit is expected to provide training of English Language to teachers. This measure will alleviate communication problem being faced by some teachers.
(ii) Computer unit: Computer literacy is the current issue that attracts attention. Therefore teachers in Kano state should not be left behind.
(iii) Conference/lecture hall: This will be used to provide lectures, symposium, seminars for teachers.
(iv) Internet café: This unit should provide internet service to teachers in order to expand their knowledge as well as link them to outside world. This will help them to explore new skills and techniques about teaching.
(v) Resource room: The centre will assist in reducing the cost being incurred in the name of seminars, workshops etc.
The second most important issue is teachers’ welfare, eventhough efforts have been made in that direction. To promote teachers’ welfare the followings need to be done.
1. Reduction of income tax by 50 per cent.
2. Increasing the state contribution from 17 to 20 per cent in the new pension scheme so that teachers’ contribution will only be five per cent.
3. Free medical care for all teachers in all government owned hospital.
4. Free education for children of teachers.
5. Free distribution of fertilizer to teachers posted to rural areas during farming season.
6. Introduction of disturbance allowance for teachers on transfer.
The third most important issue is teaching-learning facilities. Huge amount of money has been injected in this area, yet the desired result is not obtained.
Sir, we are aware that secondary schools in Kano state have been categorized into grades – A, B and C. Base on this, money should be provided to teachers of each respective school with a view to purchasing the required teaching-learning facilities and should be done in order of N5 million, N3 million and N1.5 million respectively. This is because, teachers know problems in their school more than any other person and there shouldn’t be any external interference be it from ministry, zonal office or school head. I’m optimistic that adoption of this measure will reduce substantial cost and yield desired results.
Sir, the old system which authorized stakeholders to provide these facilities has failed woefully, taken into cognizance the constant shortage of these materials in our schools.
The fourth one is the classrooms congestion. The present atmosphere in our classes is not conducive for effective teaching and, hence, this call for change in the approach and manner towards decongesting the classes. It requires thorough assessment of the exact demand before opting for any solution. The era of supplying figures and statements on paper from scholars to zone them to ministry or any relevant agency and vice-versa should be over. Action is needed not noise.
Sir, it is only when the exact demand is clearly destined and analyzed, solution could be obtained. The demand for additional classes is of course inevitable but the resources to be used is another source of worry.
In view of the above, I strongly suggest that committee of intellectuals with education in their heart should be constituted without further delay, let them go round all the school and determine the degree of the demand. Award of contract to create additional classes has apparently failed. Let the government try the other way by farming sub-committees in the affected schools which should comprise of members of school PTA, principal, vice principal, teachers’ representatives, zonal and ministry representatives.
The committee of intellectuals drawn from all institutions of higher learning in the state and representatives of honourable commissioner for education, should work directly with these sub-committees.
Sir, in a nutshell, the source of failure to improve and revamp the education sector is non-inclusion of teachers in that direction. Teachers are the machinery and at best position to be carried along in order to achieve the desired objective. This is because, they know the problems better than any one.
Stakeholders in education have failed despite the fact that additional classes have been built, more than 100 junior secondary schools have equally been created, thousand of teachers newly recruited, purchase 10 numbers Peugeot station wagon to zonal offices in the state and frequent inspections to schools. One question that needs to be thrown here is has the quality of education improved? Certainly, to any God-fearing individual, the answer must be capital NO. Then, why? There is a need to change the approach and policies in order to move the standard and revamp the sector, using 2007 budget package.
Sir, careful study of these suggestions and their implementation will bring those problems to history. I’m sure, with level of commitment, dedication and aspiration of your administration toward improving and revamping the sector, these suggestions would be highly welcomed.
I wish you successful completion of the current tenure and subsequent one ahead (Insha Allahu).
ISA ADO ABUBAKAR,
isabakar2001@yahoo.com
No. 157, Sharada Gindingaru,
Municipal Local Govt Area,
Kano state.
(Concerned citizen).