A Private School in the Mega City

  A Private School in the Mega City

With the increase and near-unflinching freedom enjoyed by mushroom schools in Nigeria, the hope for the recovery of the nation’s education system is quite dim. 

While the nation struggles under the weight of social decay, however, it is expected that with some measure of commitment on the parts of the government and other stakeholders in education sector, it should be on the frontline charting the pathway to national recovery. This is because it’s the sector that is directly entrusted with the responsibility of shaping minds and as well as capacity building through formal teaching and learning in schools.

However, the rot in the sector occasioned by government’s indifference and relegation of duty on the parts of various ministries of education has not helped matters. The influx of private investors into education sector which initially was thought by unsuspecting minds to be the messiah that will bring back the much needed life into our education system, alas, the opposite is the case. Many of these investors mainly see running a private school as an easy way of making money. And this explains why these money-mongers run their businesses (schools) anywhere and anyhow. 

Given the fact that education has a huge demand and in most cases its demand outstrips supply coupled with poor supervision on the part of government it has become a race even for the lame. An average private school owner is motivated by how much money he/she wrecks from the business. Many being driven by the get-rich-quick syndrome, schools are now run with little or no regard to pupils’ safety, conduciveness, hygiene, even with little or no learning facility on ground. The most applying of all these seeing the so-called schools situated in an environment that will be best for rearing of animals. For those who see education as money spinning machine, it does not matter to them whether the people they employ in the name teachers have anything to offer to the pupils or not. What matters most to them are the pupils’ fees. 

It should be noted that there are some good schools, situated in good environment, which invariably stimulates learning in children. However, the crux of the matter is that not many parents can afford to have their children in such schools. And the pertinent question is, given the level of poverty ravaging the country, does a poor man have hope of survival through education? Or can a poor afford the kind of education that will make him break loose from the jaws of poverty with way things are going?  

These present day private schools are experts at designing and creating revenue generation formula which include but not limited to development fee, party fee, weekly assessment fee, school lesson fee, graduation fee, etc. They have from customized exercise books to stamped text books for sale. Parents and guardians are compelled to buy these customized materials and failure to comply will result in your child being denied attention as any book bought outside the school territory is marked ‘fake’ and so not acceptable by the school authorities. And for parents, especially those in Lagos State, it is an unwritten law they are meant to abide with, helplessly.

Mushroom schools is one of the fastest-growing businesses in the country, however, the rate at which it is going in Lagos State should give any right thinking mind cause for concern. A recent visit to Amukoko, a suburb in Ifelodun Local Government kept me wondering if inspection department in the state ministry of education is still in existence.

There is this particular school that operates behind one of the buildings in Muda Street in Amukoko. There are so many things that are wrong with this school. Its location is quite odd. It hidden behind a building; entrance to the ‘school’ is gained through a track created from the main building. The property serving as building for this school was an abandoned property for several years, which I learnt became a dumping ground for people living in the neighbourhood. A dwarf separates the school with No. 22 Muda Street.

The proprietor who either bought this property from the original owner(s) or loaned it for use, only managed to clear the shrubs and the refuse heap he inherited without bothering to provide other necessary facilities that will make it fit for human habitation before bringing in his pupils into the place.
It is difficult to understand what manner of person the proprietor is or his problems that will make chose to run a school in an environment that will be best used for rearing of animals or the refuse dump it has always been than an institution of learning. 

The most annoying scene in this school is the human degradation and unhygienic life the children are exposed to. Given the lack of toilet facility, the children are forced to answer the call of nature in the open. They either spread paper or nylon on the floor, which will later be left on a corner of the school building or thrown into a shallow pit that serves as sewage pit for the school. No facility for them to wash their hands after the mess. Is this not an open invitation to cholera and all manner of infectious diseases that may lead to the death of these children? 

Pupils of this school have one thing in common – they look unkempt, unhappy and restless. This has left so many questions on the minds of people, especially this writer.  What manner of people is this school owner molding these children to be in future? Haven’t the parents of these children mortgaged their future for affordability? Would it not have been better if these children are registered in public schools? For sure, it cannot be worst than this. And obviously, these children are from poor families who cannot afford better and quality education for their children. Tragically, coming from poor homes to poor school, have they not been unknowing tied to poverty for life? Considering the commendable effort of Babatunde Raji Fashola’s effort at improving learning and education generally in the state, it should also be stated that this effort will yield better result if backed with proper supervision from the state ministry of education for both state-owned schools and private schools in the state.