In the southeastern region of Nigeria, education stands at a crossroads, grappling with challenges that threaten the very foundation of learning. At the heart of this crisis is the alarming situation faced by schools, especially highlighted by the experiences of institutions like Spring of Excellence Academy in Imo State. The once-vibrant halls of learning have been silenced, drowned out by the echoes of fear and uncertainty. In a poignant plea, Madam Orovare, a distressed parent from Imo State, revealed to Edugist reporter that the heart-wrenching reality faced by families in Imo state, eastern Nigeria. In her tearful statement, she described how the constant disruptions in schooling due to insecurity forced her to relocate her children to Ibadan. The dire situation in Imo state has led many parents to make similar decisions, uprooting their lives in search of a stable educational environment for their children.
The ongoing insecurity has not only caused widespread fear among students but also led to a chaotic learning environment. Schools in the region have adopted stringent safety measures, including abrupt closures and vigilant monitoring, further hindering the educational progress of the children.Orovare’s emotional plea sheds light on the urgent need for a comprehensive solution to restore normalcy to the region’s education system. The future of these young minds hangs in the balance, emphasising the critical importance of addressing the issue promptly and decisively.
“I have taken my children from Imo state to Ibadan,I am tired of wasting money,the children are always asking questions why are they skipping school on Monday and when they get to school they are monitored and once they hear a strange sound they ask all parent to come and pick their children. Education won’t thrive like this and we cannot continue to be sentimental about our future”- Madam Orovare shared tearfully
Curriculum Disrupted, Learning Interrupted
Ekene Nebo, the principal and proprietor of Spring of Excellence Academy, voices the collective anguish of educators, lamenting the difficulties faced in adhering to the curriculum. A spectre looms over classrooms, the fallout from enforced sit-at-home orders. The loss of 12 crucial study days has cast a shadow over the students’ educational journey, leaving them out of sync with the rest of the nation. Teachers, burdened by the challenges of the times, struggle to maintain the continuity of education, and as a result, students are left with fragmented knowledge, hindering their ability to compete on a national level.
Destiny Matters Global’s President, Adesiyan Oluwasegun Emmanuel, also highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating, “The state of education in the eastern part of Nigeria is bad and under attack because of insecurity.”
The ongoing turmoil has disrupted the heritage of education, leaving the younger generation vulnerable to a lack of proper schooling. The situation remains critical, with communities anxiously awaiting solutions to restore stability and safeguard the future of education in the region.
According to him, Enugu’s Governor Peter Mba attempted to counter this by declaring Mondays as regular school days, but faced strong opposition from citizens. Consequently, parents are now resorting to paying teachers for extra lessons to ensure their children receive the education they deserve. However, this option is not viable for all parents, further exacerbating the educational divide.
Fear as the Unseen Foe
Education and fear make a volatile mix. The persistent threat of violence has gripped both students and teachers, creating an atmosphere of apprehension within the school walls. The fear lingers, infecting every lesson, every interaction. Students, once eager to learn, now arrive late, their enthusiasm dampened by the omnipresent worry of being caught up in the chaos. This fear not only paralyses their academic progress but also inflicts lasting damage on their emotional well-being.
The Desperate Plea for Normalcy
In the face of this crisis, voices rise in unison, pleading for a return to normalcy. Corps members, pupils, students, principals, and heads of schools join the chorus, calling upon the government and groups like the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) to find a resolution. The streets, once pathways to knowledge, have transformed into makeshift playgrounds, while the youth, idle and uninspired, slide into the clutches of immoral activities. Lillian, a communication expert, encapsulates the sentiment of many, expressing the urgency of the situation. “Let this stop,” she implores, highlighting the detrimental impact on the educational and academic capabilities of the students.
A Nation’s Future at Stake
As the sit-at-home orders persist, the very essence of education is under threat. The knowledge gap widens, opportunities slip away, and the dreams of countless young minds hang in the balance. It is not merely a crisis of classrooms left empty; it is a crisis of potential left unrealised, a future held hostage by circumstances beyond the students’ control. The plea is clear, echoing through the empty corridors of schools: restore normalcy, let education thrive, and give these young souls the chance they deserve to build a better tomorrow.
Since the declaration, the education of primary schools, secondary school students, and undergraduates is presently affected as they are forced to skip school on Mondays because officials avoid school over the fear of being harassed or maimed.
As it is, every Monday, while pupils and students and teachers in different parts of the country attend schools, their counterparts in the South-East avoid going to school for security reasons, thereby drawing back the education of the people from the region.
Last September, gunmen suspected of being members of IPOB attacked Comprehensive Secondary School, Nkume, in Imo State. The students were preparing to sit for the English Language paper in the ongoing Junior Secondary School Examination before the gunmen forcefully dispersed them to enforce the sit-at-home order.
However, several announcements of cancellation of the order by IPOB, some state governors and deployment of security operatives, have not deterred the enforcement.
Ikengaonline report explicitly tells how students’ education in secondary school and tertiary institutions has become grossly affected due to the incessant sit-at-home order, making learning out of reach for thousands of students in the region every Monday and sometimes other weekdays. Teachers, parents, and other key stakeholders recount their experiences of how the order results in poor learning outcomes and contributes to out-of-school dropouts for students.
While speaking to students, teachers, parents and community people, Ikengaonline discovers that in Enugu, Imo and Anambra State, there is total enforcement of the sit-at-home order on Mondays. Still, in Abia and Ebonyi State, some areas have partial enforcement, especially in villages, for fear of being attacked by unknown gunmen (UGM).
