Just last week, a member of the House of Representatives introduced a bill seeking to prohibit public and civil servants from patronising private schools and healthcare services, in a bid to revive confidence in Nigeria’s public institutions.
The proposed bill would compel all civil servants to patronise government-owned schools.
The legislative proposal is titled: “A Bill for an Act to Prohibit Public and Civil Servants from Patronizing Private Schools and Health Care Services and for Related Matters (HB 2487)”
The sponsor of the bill, Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, told journalists at the National Assembly that the proposed legislation aims to mandate government officials and their families to utilise public schools and hospitals.
The lawmaker also cited past leaders such as Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Sir Tafawa Balewa who were all products of public schools, unlike the present trend where public officials shun government institutions.
While the bill may appear laudable on the surface, it is unlikely to see the light of day. Even if passed into law, it is virtually impossible to implement effectively.
The Nigerian government does not need to compel civil servants to enrol their children in government schools, especially primary and secondary schools—if the right thing is done. This bill reflects a long-standing agitation by advocates for quality education.
It is believed that such patronage would shift attention to public schools and, in turn, facilitate much-needed development. This is true. But many foundational issues remain unresolved, and these must be addressed first.
There is a need for a clear comparison between public and private schools in Nigeria. Every parent naturally wants the best for their child. Given the current state of government schools, private institutions are often seen as the only viable option.
Unless the mess and deterioration is removed, compelling civil servants will not work. It is not ideal. The government must first do the right thing before this immoral compelling.
In terms of quality, the standard of education in private schools is far better than the education quality in the so-called government schools.
Public schools, in virtually every respect, fail to meet the standards set by quality assurance departments, let alone international benchmarks.
Infrastructure is one of the biggest concerns. In terms of infrastructure, and other facilities, the government-owned schools are completely in a shambles.
Overpopulation is another persistent problem. Though the recommended teacher-to-student ratio is 1:35, this guideline is only followed in private schools—and even then, many private institutions have fewer than 35 students per class. It is pathetic that most government schools have above 80 students to a teacher who teaches different arms!
Teaching aids and instructional materials are either inadequate or non-existent. The Nigerian government schools lack facilities that can facilitate understanding among the students. These schools are a kind of environment where students learn in abstract. The schools are not conducive to learning. The governments have failed in this regard.
One of the most troubling issues is the haphazard approach to subject allocation. We have seen instances where teachers are just assigned any available subjects irrespective of the course you studied at the university. This is a big challenge that frustrates the teachers’ efforts. This practice is rarely found in private schools but is rampant in the very public institutions that lawmakers now want to make mandatory for civil servants.
If the rots in the system are not fixed, the lawmakers have no moral rectitude to compel the civil servants to patronise government schools. One wonders if the lawmaker who sponsored the bill has firsthand knowledge of the deplorable state of these schools. If the right thing is done, definitely, the civil servants will voluntarily patronise the government schools.
The government has a lot to do—and it must begin by fixing the basics before making such demands.
