Mushin is a teacher friendly neighbourhood – Ifeoluwa

Born by a Mathematics teacher and enthusiast, Salaudeen Rofiat Ifeoluwa, a graduate of chemical engineering from the University of Ilorin, is a budding educator and mathematics guru who loves teaching and organising private and home teaching learning services in and outside of Mushin. Motivated by her mother Salaudeen T.A, a Mathematics teacher at Igbo Owu senior secondary school, works hard.In Mushin, Rofiat is one of the most sought-after young teachers in the community. She speaks with an Edugist reporter on education in Mushin, the challenges, opportunities and what the government can do. Excerpts

Education in Mushin, what’s your view?

Education in Mushin, there are many problems that are wrong with the educational sector, due to my little experience with the foundation of most students, a shortage of qualified teachers and also a lack of standard schools. No one is checking and today, you see students and pupils just go to school for the sake. No one is setting a benchmark. No quality control, no checks and balances and don’t you see the level of havoc wreaked by the system no one trusts the system and primary and secondary are weakened. The education system in Mushin is not impressive.

Describe education in this environment from primary to secondary.

From the primary section, they are many unqualified teachers. For example a senior secondary certified student who is unable to make the required credit passes at the West African Certificate Examination teaches in a primary school which results in suboptimal learning outcomes. It affects the foundation of so many students.Let’s talk about the junior and secondary sections, for the junior category most parents don’t put pressure on their student education, and also there are many unqualified teachers who just got into the profession not with passion but due to the situation of the country and this also affects students’ performance. In the secondary section, parents advise their children to apply for terminal final exams such as WAEC in SS2 at special centres often reputed for examination malpractice.

Can you talk about your education personally and how you were able to scale through it?

My educational background has been interesting. My mum is actually in the teaching profession. She has assisted and also motivated me from primary to junior secondary and I also had a passion for education myself which has been encouraging and also didn’t allow peer influence to get to me. During secondary school, I attended tutorial classes which helped me in my science courses. Hard work and prayer made me excel. I attended Nawairudeen Nursery and Primary School, Mushin. My junior secondary school was Army Children junior secondary school while my senior secondary was Army cantonment senior secondary school Ikeja.

How do you think the Government can advance education in this environment?

Government can only put the right policies and rules on the education system and also implement them. Close monitoring,visitation will help understand the system.

Describe your university education.

I attended the University of Ilorin and my discipline was Chemical Engineering. My 100 level was not tedious because it is just the normal physics and chemistry we have done due to the knowledge and also the strong foundation I had I was able to scale through. Along the line, I was able to cope with another field in chemical engineering but a lot of hard work and prayer are needed. There are some courses where all the mathematical rules will be used to solve just a question, if you are not very sound it will be quite difficult. So I had a nice experience in my university days.

Do you agree that Mushin is full of miscreants and bad people?

No! There are many good people in the Mushin environs. You won’t allow your environment to determine who you are. There are many great people that schooled here and people that inspire me came from Mushin.

Speaking of infrastructure and funding, do you think the government has done enough?

I can only speak for Lagos, Mushin environment they are trying in terms of infrastructure and funding and I think more work can still be done.

List all the schools you know in your community.

Birch Freeman Junior and senior secondary school, Ilupeju Junior and senior secondary school, Ransome Kuti is in junior and senior secondary school, and Surulere junior and senior secondary school.

Is teaching something interesting to do in Mushin?

Mushin is a teacher friendly neighborhood and you hardly hear teachers being attacked. For me, I enjoy teaching in this environment because we have so many intelligent and committed teachers around.

I am lucky to have a passionate teacher as a mother and in this field. Mushin has good hands. Money wise teachers aren’t well paid in the nation generally but some private schools are trying at least they are paying above the minimum wage and some are paying below. But the good thing is that one can leverage tutorial and home teaching.

What’s your advice for students and teachers about Mushin

To the students:justust keep being passionate about your studies and aim high, with hard work and prayer everything comes easy.

Teachers: To impart knowledge is not an easy task, you have to be passionate about what you do if you are. Everything comes easy.

Tell us about your mum. And how she has motivated you as a budding educator.

Mum is an educationist. She has always put me through, she stays awake at night with us after a stressful day at work for the children to stand out. During the holiday I don’t attend any lessons. She would make us finish the scheme of work before resumption.She has always encouraged us to do more and also believe in her children.

What’s your name and where do you see yourself in the next ten years?

My name is Salaudeen Rofiat Ifeoluwa. By God’s grace, I see myself as a business tycoon and in a great place in life.

Describe your teaching experience and your motivation, the subject you teach,challenges as a girl child?

My teaching experience has been quite impressive.I am able to impart knowledge and see great changes in the children I teach. I have passion for teaching and what always motivates me is changing a child’s narrative and bettering the educational system. My major challenge is assuming there is only male teacher that can take science courses.

Read other interviews: I started being intentional about my education in secondary school – Agbo, UNN best graduating student