By:
Mustapha Umar Madawaki
The Supreme Being Himself emphasized the need for education severally in our respective religious books and doctrines . Because knowledge of the word of God leads to Godliness, and Godliness leads to salvation.
The Prophet of Islam (s.a.w) further explained rhetorically that; “The sleep to slumber of a learnered man, is by far better than the ardent worship of an ignorant man”.
Further more,
Christianity and its civilizations, has over the centuries, emphasized and championed the need for literate societies. Today, Canada is the most literate nation on the planet , yet it still spends hugely, not only to further improve teaching and learning , but to also extend a hand of friendship to other nations especially in the developing world, through comprehensive scholarships for studies on it’s soil.
Many other American and European nations have joined in this noble course.
Ancient philosophers like Socrates, once said, “The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance”.
The efforts to promote education became prominent between our pre and post independence political leaders, who saw the need and necessity for massive promotion of education for the Nigerian populace, in order to meet up with global development trends, and advance the country along side its peers in the community of nations. Hence the birth of the famous “free education” in the then Western and Mid Western regions of Nigeria.
The North also followed suit. These efforts then consequented the creation of, and subsequent development of a 20-year educational philosophy and plan, through the ‘ASHBY COMMISSION ‘ of 1959. We also saw the unflinching efforts of the Northern Regional Government in developing educational policies, intended to give people of the region a grip on their destiny, through its policy of “school take over”. This was intended to harmonize all schools, both public and private, for effective management and the promotion of mass literacy.
The desire for education therefore found fertile grounds in the hearts of Nigerian politicians, which later became the symbol of political campaigns, and a yardstick for measuring achievements.
Students from the three regions were supported to not only study in Nigeria, but in any part of the world unhindered, through a number of scholarships and manpower development programmes.
Viewed against these noble and lofty backgrounds, the poor level of education, especially in government schools in Adamawa, under a democratically elected government led by AHMADU UMARU FINTIRI, is most appalling.
The political and elite class, naturally have found options in private schools. But not so the working class/ordinary citizens, referred to in this essay, as “lumpen proletariates”, meaning the down trodden. The government of the day expects these class of people, who form majority of its tax payers, and who work hard to earn a meager living, to still service their other personal needs without support. *Including the education of their children and wards*. This is totally unacceptable.
Gov. Fintiri expects them to trust his leadership or worst, to keep mute, even when they know that the current political leadership is not being fair to them.
Government schools, which people in my age bracket attended with pride and unforgettable memories, are now shadows of their former selves. The analysis here is that money is being budgeted annually for education then diverted, because there is very little to show for it. Otherwise, how do we explain to our children and future generations that our schools lack adequate classrooms, dormetries, laboratories and equipment. Can one imagine Secondary schools without these facilities. Additionally, no sporting activities of any kind is noticeable in any of these Institutions.
Photos of dilapidated structures of GSS Fofure made available to TG NEWS Mustapha
During our times, our schools were the main breeding grounds for athletes. There were indoor and outdoor sporting activities, which the state keenly monitored, through the promotion of inter and intra state competitive sporting activities, like the annual “Ellison trophy”, and The National sports Festival’. I was fortunate to represent Gongola state at the 1979 Oluwole National Sports festival in Ibadan.
The present state of GDSS Shagari,Yola as provided photos by Umar
How on earth do we expect the future of this state and the Nation at large to be secured and promising, without proper and adequate investment in education?. What these kids are today will conversely be the direct replica of our dear state in the future.
Another sad thing about the way education is handled by Gov Fintiri led Administration is it’s financial policy as it relates to feeding in all boarding schools. It is an official policy of this government that N30.00 is budgeted for feeding per student per meal. That means N90.00 per student per day . Even condemned prisoners reserve the right to be fed better and are actually being fed better. This feeding arrangement is common to all boarding, including exchange schools.
More pictures from Aliyu Musdafa College Yola, Yola South LGA
The big question therefore is, what type of science students are we rolling out of these schools, with no chemistry , physics, or biology Laboratories?
The most equipped secondary school Laboratory in the state is G.S.S Fufore , donated by Chevron Oil. All others are nothing close to the acceptable and or approved standard. Some don’t even have laboratories at all. Besides, most of these schools are so porous that you can access them from any direction.
Photos of Govt Day Sec sch Kagti, Mubi South LGA
Recently, Mr.Boss gida Mustapha, the secretary to the Federal government, visited his former secondary school in his country home in Hong. He boldly said out of frustration that he could not trace his hostel. This was reported on National News.
Meanwhile, this is the same Government that borrowed almost N200bn in the name of gigantic projects, only to end up with two worthless bridges. Not a dime was expended on education.
Gallery of dilapidated picture of Govt Science Tech Mubi
Can anyone ever imagine the type of medical doctors, engineers, and scientist we are likely to breed from these schools?.
Are we really, willing and able to accept students from these schools as the future leaders of Adamawa?. Are they the type of students we hope will competitively drive the vehicle of our collective leadership and development, in comparison with their colleagues in other states of the federation?
Borno state for instant has demonstrated its desire to promote education to higher heights without me saying it, inspite of their high level of insecurity. In Adamawa, no new schools were built by this administration. Hardly has anyone been renovated, despite the strategic importance of education to it’s people. Yet this administration had the audacity to claim it is providing “Free Education”, and is in the forefront in the payment of scholarship to students of tertiary Institutions. The former is a blattant lie. They only managed to pay for WAEC and maybe NECO examination fees. No more. The latter was paid at inception of this Administration only. By and large, “Free education” only existed in the minds of the Fintiri Administration and it’s young and misled social media surrogates.
One therefore wonders about all these insensitivities. Could it be that the Governor lacks competent advisers or is he an authoritarian whose ideas are sacrosanct and therefore unquestionable?.
For example, the issue of deboarding was hightly debated and disliked by both parents, stakeholders and Educational Administrators. Yet Gov. Fintiri went ahead and implemented it without regards to its implications to the generality of our people.
A democrat must have listening ears, and be sensitive to the plight of his people. Any dictator who disguises as a democrat, but keeps implementing dictatorial tendencies, is a danger to both the present and the future of the people, especially the youth.
The truth has to be told for those who are intelligent enough to know and appreciate, for the betterment of our children and the children of their children. After all, a famous Nigerian Artist, chief Zebrudaiya Okorigbo Nwogugu Alias 4.30 said and I quote.
”The greatest calamito that can happen to a man, It’s when he is told himself an Iie”.
The world of historians is watching and documenting. We as interested spectators are watching and where necessary criticizing. But posterity will judge and will always judge fairly.
Mustapha is an All Progressives Congress Gubernatorial aspirant in
Adamawa State.
