Every society and Governments at all levels know for sure that for phenomenal transformation and emancipation to take place, education is the key. I suppose it is in view of this fact that the United Nations Organization stipulated that each member country should endeavour to commit at least 26% (more than a quarter) of its annual budget to the education sector. Ironically, more than two-thirds of its member nations do not adhere to this stipulation, however, most advanced countries designate more than 20% of their budgets to the education sector while developing countries like Nigeria seldom hit a percentage of two digits, usually less than 13%.

Every society and Governments at all levels know for sure that for phenomenal transformation and emancipation to take place, education is the key. I suppose it is in view of this fact that the United Nations Organization stipulated that each member country should endeavour to commit at least 26% (more than a quarter) of its annual budget to the education sector. Ironically, more than two-thirds of its member nations do not adhere to this stipulation, however, most advanced countries designate more than 20% of their budgets to the education sector while developing countries like Nigeria seldom hit a percentage of two digits, usually less than 13%.

The education scenario is worse in Plateau State, at a superficial level; it seems Plateau State is coping just fine. On paper, the statistics presented is usually laudable, amplifying areas of marked progress and concealing areas of weakness or redundancy. Since 1999, Plateau State has continued to witness a steady decline in its education sector, its public institutions precisely; the State owned institutions at Primary, Secondary and Tertiary levels leaves much to be desired. Compared to standards required, efforts by the State Government are nothing to write home about. The education sector has been marred by incessant strikes since 1999; NUT, NLC, NULGE, Tertiary Staff Unions etc. Thankfully, at the moment, all State institutions are running smoothly now but sitting on kegs of imminent strikes, because as it is, Government has not adequately met all their demands, instead the teachers are sometimes accused of being politically motivated each time they threaten to go on strike. Plateau’s educational sector has suffered bouts of strike with some stretching over a year. Crises and civil disturbances especially recently in parts of Wase, Langtang South and Shendam Local Governments have also affected schools in such places.

Taking a tour around Plateau State now, one would observe massive renovation going on in some Primary and Secondary schools, at least some politicians have hit the jackpot of contracts, but does this outward transformation transcend to the intellectual capability of our children? I am particularly concerned about the product itself and not the roof that shelters the product. Nowadays, it is very common to see a primary six (6) pupil of a Government Primary School who is an illiterate ( which makes me wonder what the teachers are doing that the pupil was being promoted all along), now the same pupil will, by means of ”let my people go”, be admitted into a State Government Secondary School and will gradually be pushed on till he reaches SS3, by then he may be able to read and write enough to copy and pass exams in a ‘miracle centre’. Then he gets enrolled into a Tertiary institution and with some help and luck secure an NCE, ND or even a B.Sc certificate and the same person would be expected to teach younger ones what? How? Now this very picture was not obtainable in the past, because top Government officials at the Federal and State levels are products of these same State owned institutions but they would dare not send their children to the same government schools, why?

Recently, plateau state government had identified over 11,000 primary school teachers who do not have the minimum requisite certificate of NCE, they were given ample time to upgrade their certificates and they still weren’t unable to meet up. They were to be fired immediately and replaced with qualified ones whose recruitment process had started already. For political reasons and in the interest of unjustified mercy, the purportedly sacked staff still receive their salaries while the qualified ones, part of which have been shortlisted since August 2013 are uncertain of their fate, whether they are genuinely employed or not. It is worthy to note that all these applicants paid at least N1,000 to partake in the screening exercise, the same applied to the over ten thousand applicants of tertiary institutions who have paid the same amount . While I hope the application fee is not a form of extortion, I also hope that qualified teachers at all levels of plateau state’s education sector are recruited immediately and a mandate given to them for maximum delivery. Most institutions are grossly under-staffed and if we allow politics, nepotism, and corruption get in the way of recruitment, then we should not be surprised to yield the same result in the coming years. If Government is sincere, then it must stop playing politics in the recruitment of qualified staff for these Primary, Secondary and Tertiary levels of Education.

by Bizum Yadok

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When will the Plateau State Government stop playing politics with Education? by Bizum Yadok