Education
Reactions Trail Poor WAEC SSCE Results
Two weeks after the release
of the 2014 May/June Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), reactions have continued to trail the mass failure recorded in the performances of candidates.
Nigerians have expressed fears and indeed, loss of confidence at the secondary school levels of the education sector following the successive decline in the performances of candidates in the last five years.
Some principals, teachers and other stakeholders who spoke to The Tide on the mass failure attributed the cause to laxity and negligence in the parts of the various components of the sector with a call on all sides to rise to the occasion and nib the situation on the bud.
The Principal, Community Secondary School, Nkpor, Rumuolumeni, Mrs Whiliki J. A. stated that for Rivers State in particular the teachers are doing their best and blamed the situation on the students.
In her words “the teachers especially the newly employed came in with zeal and ready to work. They have fulfilled their part of the show but the students are not ready to learn and even read. They don’t know the difference between reading for examination and other things”.
Whiliki also blamed the situation on parents saying “parents are not helping matters either. They compel these students to use the time for their reading to sell for them not minding that these children have exams at hand. Teachers cannot do it all alone. If the parents fail to play their own part, then it won’t work”.
Expressing hopes of no further decline, she urged parents to partner with teachers and government whom she stated are faithful on their parts to encourage the students towards achieving excellent results in their both internal and external exams.
Another principal of Itans Academy, Iriebe, Mr Mike Uchenna was of the view that teachers have not exercise their best in turning out well read students who could face the WAEC exams independently.
Uchenna also stated that the supervisors and invigilators were almost serving as ‘threat’ to the students saying “the way they go about the invigilating thing put these students off their balance and they can no longer concentrate to write the exams which also contribute to this failure.
A teacher of Economics and Mathematics at the Community Secondary School, Amadi-Ama, Mrs Ikpoki Jonathan maintained that there are too many sides to the coin.
According to her, “one of the reasons is the government’s refusal to look into the welfare of these teachers particularly in the public schools. There is no conducive atmosphere for these teachers to carry out their teaching works.
Also, invigilators are asked to pay between 40 and 50 thousand naira for them to invigilate and so they in turn compel the students to pay same for the exams. Therefore, the children no more read but depend on the money they have paid”.
She continued “unfortunately, most of the people they used for this malpractice are jack of all trade with no definite area of specialisation and so, they can’t get it all right”.
An official of WAEC who pleaded anonymity opined that critical look at the failure reveals that it comes mainly from the Public School Sector.
“The Private Schools particularly with boarding system, take their time to train these students to read. There is no parental interference and the students are doing well.
Government needs to do a lot more for these public schools because right now, malpractice is what is killing these students. They have no confidence in themselves and so cannot pass the exam”.
It would be recalled that the WAEC penultimate Monday announced the release of the May/June 2014 results.
The Head of WAEC, National office, Lagos Mr Charles Eguridu while announcing the results revealed that out of 1,692,435 candidates who sat for the exam, 529,425 of them obtained credits in five subjects and above including English language and mathematics, a figure which he said represented 31.28 per cent, a poor performance in the overall percentage.
Cross section of Shell flag-off campaign on safe route to school at St. Andrew’s State School, Mile 1, Diobu, Port Harcourt, recently.
The Executive Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board, Alabo David Briggs and his Post Primary Schools Board, counterpart, Dr. Sam Emejuru recently embarked on a joint visit to Model Girls Secondary School, Mbodo Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Arera of Rivers State.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after interacting with the students, Alabo Briggs said both of them were in the school to know how the students are faring, how happy they are, and to also know their areas of need and then take pragmatic decisions that would enhance the wellbeing of the students.
Describing the school as the only boarding school in Rivers State made up of Senior and Junior Secondary, the UBE boss said the visit has actually afforded them the opportunity to know what is lacking in the school, and promised that every machinery would be adequately put in place to ensure that the school is made more attractive and students well taken care of.
He further maintained that the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and staff of the school must rise to the occasion so as to bring back the lost glory of the school and ensure that the students are treated and well handled like their own children.
Corroborating the UBE boss, Dr. Sam Emejuru of the Post Primary School promised that everything possible would be done to reposition the school, and appealed to all concerned to be patient.
During the visit, the two Board chairmen and their members met with the school authorities wherein issues bordering on the school were discreetly ironed out and some good changes made.
Alabo Briggs also gave cash to some of the students that performed well in the essay competition that took place in Port Harcourt.
The students were also given cartons of sanitary pads to mark the International Day of the Girl Child which was celebrated all over the world recently.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) support programme on report writing for Chief Supervisors and Evaluators of the Local Government Areas took place recently at the UBE Board Headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Addressing the participants, the Board member in charge of Supervision/Monitoring, Chief Nwuke Anucha, described the programme as very interesting and educative as it is aimed at broadening the knowledge of the Chief Supervisors and Evaluators on report writing.
While thanking UBEC for the initiative, Chief Anucha also commended the resource persons who came from UBEC Abuja for doing a good job and appealed to the participants to see the support programme on report writing as an opportunity to do better.
Also speaking, the Board member, Project/Technical, Dr. Walson Ominini described the programme as a good one that all the participants must take seriously for the good of Rivers State.
Ominini used the medium to announce the personnel audit for staff of the Local Government Education Authorities in the three Senatorial zones coming up next week at the Board Headquarters adding that any staff of the LGEA who does not take part in the Audit should regard himself or herself as not being a staff of UBE.
In her vote of thanks, the Director, Quality Assurance, Mrs. Nnenna Osumenya thanked UBEC for the programme, and described it as a welcomed development.
She particularly thanked the Executive Chairman of the Board, Alabo David Briggs and the Board members for giving the programme the needed attention.
By: Akujobi Amadi
In cognizance of the value of reading in educational, career and knowledge pursuits, TotalEnergies Joint Venture(JV) Asset has committed itself to instilling the habit in students of secondary schools to enable them succeed in their academic pursuits and become good leaders of tommorow.
This, it is achieving through its Annual Book Reading and Open Day programme.
This year’s event, organised for Senior Secondary Schools in Rivers State,with the theme, ‘The World Is A Maze; Navigate It — Read’ and held at the Event Centre, TotalEnergies Office, PortHarcourt, explored the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’ by Ghanaian author, Alex Agyei Agyiri.
Participating schools chosen across Port Harcourt included Government Technical College, PortHarcourt; Bishop Crowther Memorial Secondary School, Rumuobiakani; Oginigba Comprehensive Secondary School; Community Secondary School, Rumuomasi, and Hilltop Prime International College.
Others were Community Secondary School, Amadi-Ama; Government Senior Secondary School, Elekahia; Community Secondary School, Nkpogu; Dietams International Schools; and Community Secondary School, Abuloma.
In his address, the Deputy Managing Director, Joint Venture Asset, TotalEnergies EP, Nigeria Limited, Olivier Cassassoles, said reading habit remains a major essential needed for life’s development in information, direction and character building, and stressed the need for the students, many of whom he said would grow to become leaders to cultivate and sustain the culture.
Cassassoles, who was represented by the Executive Director, JV Asset, PortHarcourt, Obi Imemba, quoted former American President, Barack Obama’s words, “reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible” and stated that “this clearly aligns with the theme of the day and implies that in order to successfully navigate the complexities of life, one needs to read”.
Cassassoles said “as students, many of you will grow to be leaders and leaders need a lot of information to stay relevant. The books you read will shape your future and through them you will find wisdom to make a difference”.
According to him, the book reading event is one that the company holds dear to heart as it promotes the culture of reading among students in Nigeria.
While encouraging the students to make conscientious effort to research good books with themes and characters that align with what they intend to do in future, Cassassoles expressed the hope that the students would commit themselves to a life of reading, adding that “I expect that you will be leaving here with a clearer idea of the career path you want to pursue “.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Ovy Chinedum Chukwuma, described this year’s theme as ‘most appropriate’ at a time when students have abandoned the text book for not only the phone – Whatsapp, Twitter etcetera but other vices.
Represented by the Technical Adviser to the Commissioner, Dr Joy Nwamaka Joseph, Chukwuma noted that reading is an effective tool for engaging students in critical thinking, saying “a student that reads focuses attention on the task at hand, immersing them in information and improving his/her concentration and memory”, insisting that students must read in order to navigate this maze-like world successfully.
The Commissioner commended TotalEnergies for “always seeking to improve the educational standards of our pupils, students, under/post graduates in our institutions and for inspiring them to develop the habit of reading as a life style”.
Earlier, the Country Communications Manager, TotalEnergies, Charles Ebereonwu, revealed that the annual reading event is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) targeted at making the best of future leaders.
In his closing remarks, the Special Adviser, People and Talent Management, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Samuel Nkwo, lauded the students for going beyond reading the book to taking lessons there from.
“What has happened here today has given us encouragement that this is a good thing to do and that we should continue to do it” Nkwo said.
Highlights of the event included reading and discussion of the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’, questions and answers session and presentation of gift items including school bags, solar lamps, books among others to the students.
By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu