STUDENTS POOR PERFORMANCE: Group Urges Aregbesola To Emulate New Education Policy of Oyo state

The pan Yoruba Socia-cultural group under the umbrella of Yoruba Youth Socio-cultural Association (YYSA) has expresses concern over the poor performance of secondary school students during Senior Secondary Examinations in the Southwest States most especially Osun and Oyo.

The group in a statement signed by its Habeeb Olalekan noted that the recent step taken by Oyo state government to reposition the state education system is commendable and capable of reinvigorating the future performance of students in the state.

The statement however stated that If Osun state can equally emulate Oyo state “it would go a long way to improve students reading culture and boost their performance in internal and external examination as we all know that Osun state students academic performance is even worst when we compare it with other States in Southwest”.

Oyo state government has directed both the ministry of education and secondary schools in the state to ensure that only students who scored 50% in either english or mathematics and four other subjects should be promoted to Senior Secondary two and three. Pupils that sat for Junior WAEC, only those of them that have at least five credit including english language and mathematics should be transited. Although, the decision has led to unrest due to the fact that the academically backward students among the repeaters unleashed mayhem on the state to the extent that they set their classroom ablaze in Community Grammar School Isale Oyo.

The noted that, all the stakeholders (parents, students, teachers and government) are to be blamed for the poor academic performance. Starting from parents, parental role reversal; is one of the ugly trend emanated from irresponsible parenthood and poverty. It is a situation whereby a teenager that supposes to rely on parents becomes hustler whom parents depend on for survival. And such condition make it too difficult for parents to control their child.

Nowadays, many of the school children are professional hawkers, immediately after school hours they begin another struggle. Divorce is another parental problem which has significant effect on students academic, majority of them are living with their grand parents who lack all what it takes to give sound education. On the students side, social media, peer group influence and many others have contributed enormously to their failure

YYSA added that lack of adequate teaching methods, nonavailability of instructional materials most of the time hindered teaching/ learning process. Moreover, government need to gear up to it responsibilities because nonpayment of salary, poor funding of schools and politicized recruitment process have been traced to be part of the educational problems induced by government. Finally, both state and federal government should get something done to the nation’s economy so that parents can be economically buoyant to give their children quality and sound education. Inculcation of morals must be a priority both at home and at learning environment. Teachers recruitment must be base on merit, if not, all efforts to improve education standard will be fruitless. Any government that fails to pay teachers salary and at the same time complaining on students performance is only bellyaching,responsible government must pay salaries as at when due. The statement concluded.