review-of-the-literature-on-basic-education-in-nigeria-june-2014-3-1

Review <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>literature</strong> on basic education in NigeriaCHAPTER 12: PUPILS AND PUPIL MANAGEMENT12.1 IntroductionThere is no available research that focuses purely on pupils’ lives in schools and <strong>the</strong>ir perspectives onschool issues, although some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> GEP and ESSPIN studies have sought pupils’ views on schoolprocesses. Yet what happens to pupils in school – how <strong>the</strong>y are organised in school, how <strong>the</strong>y feel <strong>the</strong>yare treated by staff and each o<strong>the</strong>r – has a major impact on whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y come to school, stay in school,learn, and achieve, as well as on attempts to address equity and equality issues. The 2004 ESA and <strong>the</strong>UBE impact assessment both emphasised <strong>the</strong> need for schools to provide for non-academic activities soas to ensure <strong>the</strong> holistic development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> child (FME 2005; UBEC 2012a); fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, <strong>the</strong> move toembrace UNICEF’s CFS concept by FGN arguably demonstrates its commitment to move in this direction(see UNICEF 2009a and Box 12.2).Much <strong>of</strong> what follows derives from <strong>the</strong> primary school case-study research in Adamawa State (Dunne etal. 2013), <strong>the</strong> secondary school case studies in Kogi State (Bakari 2013), <strong>the</strong> ESSPIN baseline case-studyvisits to schools in Kaduna, Kano and Kwara states (Boulton et al. 2009), and <strong>the</strong> evaluation <strong>of</strong> UNICEF’sCFS in FCT, Ebonyi and Niger states (UNICEF 2009a).The chapter considers a variety <strong>of</strong> pupil management issues that can have an impact on attendance,retention and school quality, from timetabling and school duties to <strong>the</strong> thorny issue <strong>of</strong> corporal ando<strong>the</strong>r punishments and <strong>the</strong> prefect/monitor system. The focus <strong>the</strong>n shifts to pupil–peer relations and<strong>the</strong> issues <strong>of</strong> bullying and sexual harassment.12.2 Pupil management: key issuesThe limited available data on pupil management issues suggest that, as currently practised, <strong>the</strong>y <strong>of</strong>tenhave a detrimental effect on pupil access and educational quality.12.2.1 TimetablingThere is little, if any, available research that has focused on school timetabling, although it can impac<strong>the</strong>avily on pupils’ access to learning opportunities. Studies in Adamawa, Kano, Kaduna and Kwara(Boulton et al. 2009; Dunne et al. 2013) found that, although accurate data from school registers werelacking, reported and observed levels <strong>of</strong> latecoming and absenteeism among pupils were high:At particular times <strong>of</strong> year (e.g. during planting and harvesting) when labour is needed in <strong>the</strong>fields;On particular days, e.g. market day, when pupils go to trade and hawk; andAt particular times <strong>of</strong> day, e.g. in <strong>the</strong> early morning when, for example, children have had to dohome chores, or when Muslim pupils attend Qur’anic school before attending public school;and/or after break when pupils and teachers drift <strong>of</strong>f in search <strong>of</strong> water and/or food and do notreturn; and/or in <strong>the</strong> afternoons in double-shift schools.This perhaps suggests <strong>the</strong> need for greater flexibility and community negotiation in timetabling schoolholidays and school hours to coincide more with community needs, in order to improve pupilattendance. Pupils have complained about classes starting too early (Coinco 2012) and, in <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong>nomadic pastoralists, classes need to fit in with cattle-herding for boys (after around 10am) and cheesemakingand selling for girls (Olateju 2010).Timetabling has also been considered a challenge in Qur’anic schools that were piloting <strong>the</strong> inclusion <strong>of</strong>a secular curriculum as <strong>the</strong> Qur’anic studies take place for <strong>the</strong> first two hours, when children are fresherEDOREN – Education Data, Research and Evaluation in Nigeria 136