IAP Analytical Report - Transparency and Accountability Program ...

TEACHERSABSENTEEISMIN NIGERIANPUBLIC SCHOOLSResearch Conducted byIndependent Advocacy Project (IAP) Nigeria2009-20101

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYGlobally, the causes and consequences of absenteeism are diverse and multifaceted, with verylittle body of evidence on the phenomenon in Nigeria, hence, the decision by IndependentAdvocacy Project (IAP) to conduct this research. Broadly, the purpose of Teachers Absenteeismin Nigerian Public Schools (TANPS) is to work for the improvement of educational standards inNigeria through research and follow up advocacy and to provide a clear understanding on thephenomenon of teacher absenteeism from multi-dimensional perspectives. Absenteeism occursamong teachers and students alike and IAP's initial research findings indicate that the causesinclude but are not limited to poor salaries, lack of effective monitoring oversight; economicpressures which imply that in many poor homes children become breadwinners for theirfamilies at very early ages. TANPS’ focused on teachers.Focusing on primary schools in Lagos State, TANPS sought to quantify the costs associated withabsenteeism, recording the cost of absenteeism as the number of times a respondent did notreport for work multiplied by gross income. It generally highlights the social costs ofabsenteeism and its impact on education as a development vehicle and on the enjoyment of theright to education as a social and economic right in Nigeria. TANPS focuses on frequency of thephenomenon, interrelations between absenteeism and examination failure, social factors thatpromote absenteeism (such as family, schools and local community), education and teachingmethods in primary schools.TANPS notes the state of existing types of facilities in 53 schools through photographs andvideo recordings and examines the issue of funding of primary education or lack of it. IAPresearchers look at the inventory of selected existing facilities in the schools and compare it withwhat is recorded in government inventory to identify possible gaps.TANPS takes a multi dimensional methodological approach: desk study, focus groupdiscussions, facility visits and survey questionnaires, as it illuminates the absenteeismphenomenon from diverse and multi-dimensional perspectives, identifying its types (or kinds),causes and consequences as well as distinguishing between excused absence and unexcusedabsence thereby providing a clear understanding on this phenomenon that has very little bodyof evidence in Nigeria. IAP concludes that teachers’ absenteeism is a severe problem thatstakeholders (policymakers, civil society groups, parents, communities, etc.) must confront.Various characteristics – personal, school-organisational, and environmental – were identifiedas influencing absenteeism behaviour. Findings by IAP reveal that there are more femaleteachers than male (5:1 ratio), with significant absenteeism behaviour by 67 female teachers whohad to care for their children (29 absences) and face other issues such as illness (7 absences),social engagements, keeping two or more jobs (10 absences), refusal to teach even while inschool, chatting with other colleagues, running errands for the schools (20 absences) etc.2

Following the findings of TANPS, below are some of IAP’s recommendations:• There is need for stakeholders to embark on massive moral education andcounselling for teachers and pupils, because pupils’ absenteeism can also causedamage to education, as has already been noted by some scholars. (E.g.Ehrenberg et al., 1989; Woods & Montagno, 1997; Uehara, 1999; Whitaker, 2001).It has indirect economic consequences as absentee teachers are a substantialpercentage of teachers who are paid without fulfilling their contractualobligations to the state.• There is need to bridge the wide gap between teachers and parents througheffective Parents-Teachers Associations. Parents should visit their children’sschools regularly to examine teaching methods and interact with teachers;through this they can mitigate against teacher’s absences by reporting erringones to the appropriate authorities for disciplinary action.• Automated electronic attendance record device and truancy sweeps (as practisedin the Western World) and effective school administrative disciplinary ruleenforcement must be introduced to monitor teachers’ school attendance.• Government must ensure that all public schools are fenced like the privateschools and locked up after morning assembly to prevent teachers and pupilsfrom leaving the schools at will.• The Lagos state government should publicly commit to increase funding forprimary schools in the state and ensure that funds are released in a timelymanner.• There should be ongoing upgrading of school facilities and structures to maketeaching more attractive and rewarding.• It is essential that there should be a tripartite partnership agreement betweengovernments (education ministry officials, SUBEB officials and teachers),communities or public and parents. Solid partnership among all stakeholders ofthe media, civil society organisations, policymakers, community-basedorganizations, the academics, religious leaders and organisations who ownschools, to come together to arrest the falling standards of education, whichincludes reducing absenteeism among teachers.3

accountability” (market-based competition for clients) or the “long route of accountability”(political processes). However, to improve service delivery is to identify leakage and capture ofpublic funds as they move through the expenditure system to front-line service providers.Though many tools have emerged in recent years to examine this question, public expendituretracking surveys and absenteeism studies have been essential to creating a link betweenefficient, effective and transparent public spending and health and education outcomes. Indeed,they have become functional tools that civil society organisations in developing countries likeNigeria can use to keep governments accountable.IntroductionIn line with the foregoing, IAP, with funding support from The Results for DevelopmentInstitute (R4D) and the World Bank undertook the study on Teachers’ Absenteeism in NigerianPublic Schools (TANPS).Previous global studies point out that expenditure leakages abound within the flow of publicresources from the highest levels of government to end-line service providers, and that thesemight have affected or been partly responsible for teachers’ absenteeism behaviour, as publicresources have been significantly diverted to create shortage of facilities that led to studentsattending school under trees and no toilets, drinking water, electricity, benches, desks, chairsand tables.In Nigeria, Absenteeism occurs among teachers and students alike and there is evidence of acorrelation between high teacher absenteeism and high student absenteeism leading to lowstudent achievement (Enamiroro Patrick Oghuvbu, 2008). In the country, education system is acentralised and formalised government system being implemented by public and privatesectors practitioners. In other words, there is homogeneity in education system, especiallyprimary education under the Universal Basic Education (UBE) with all the 36 states of thefederation naming their education agency State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) andoperating the same policy and guidelines.Hiring and financing are made by the government (federal or state) in the public schools.Teachers in Nigeria are unionised under the umbrella of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT),a very strong, powerful and highly influential entity. With very few exceptions, teachers inpublic schools earn more than their counterparts in private schools in Nigeria but ironically thisdoes not reflect in students’ performance as students in private schools perform better thanthose in public schools.Hiring, salaries and promotion are determined by education qualifications and seniority asagainst performance in developed countries. For example, on performance rating, teachers in5

developed countries could aspire to become head teachers but this promotion is by seniorityand educational qualifications in Nigeria. Wages under civil service system do not really reflectlabour market conditions but often compressed compared to what obtains in the private sector.According to IAP survey finding, while official rules provide for punitive action against teacherabsence, disciplinary action for absences is extremely rare. Teachers in Nigeria are almost neverfired, despite high absenteeism rate. However, the only form of discipline for absences isteacher’s transfer to remote or rural schools, which in reality is no punishment at all because therural schools are also part of the public schools under government funding, control andmanagement.Because the implementation of education policy is homogenous across the country, Lagos Statewas chosen by IAP to pilot this study for the rest of the country, being the nation’s mostcosmopolitan and former federal capital, as corroborated by James Tooley, Pauline Dixon andOlanrewaju Olaniyan (2005) who indicate that “the choice of Lagos State can be justified interms of its importance within the Nigerian and indeed global context.”Although the smallest of the 36 states in terms of land mass, it has a huge population estimatedat about 15 million, and is currently the sixth largest global conurbation in the world, estimatedto rise to 24.6 million by 2015, making it the second or third largest city in the world by that date(Lagos State Economic and Empowerment Development Strategy (LASEEDS), 2004, pp. 295). Ofthis population, around one third (five million) is estimated to be of school age, of which 1.5million are in public schools (about 30 per cent of the school-aged population, LASEEDS, 2004,p. 295), with the rest in registered and unregistered private schools or out of school the latterestimated to be 17 per cent of the school age population, (Adelabu and Rose, 2004, p. 50).6

RELVANCE, GOALS & OBJECTIVESRationale and RelevanceOver the years, IAP has a developed a track record in empirical research and the rationale ofTANPS is founded on the following:1) The alarming decay in the educational sector of Nigeria makes imperative the need todesign and implement a project that empirically addresses key problems that is of interest tokey stakeholders.2) It is expected to raise public awareness on the declining standards of education at all levelsand the urgent need to introduce measures that proactively address the situation.3) It will be useful to activists and campaign groups as the study through evidence basedadvocacy seeks to strengthen both demand-side and supply side accountability. On the supplyside, it will work to enable community people hold key education bodies to account so thatultimately public policies will be more responsive to their needs. On the supply side,TANPS will promote responsiveness in public education institutions through a combinationof vertical forms of accountability and diagonal accountability. This is expected to assistpolicy makers in effectively formulating and implementing 'anti absenteeism' policies (statecapability) support citizens in scrutinising public officials (accountability) and ensure thatpolicies respond to the needs of community people (responsiveness).4) It will provide key stakeholders with up to date empirical information for policyformulation and planning purposes especially in making forecast for the number ofstudents’ intakes, facilities, teachers and materials.5) The project will help stakeholders to identify inefficiencies (absenteeism, lateness, leakagesetc.) in public institutions and devise ways of ameliorating them.Relevance to IAP's long term goalsThis project fits with IAP's mission of conducting activities that promote accountability,transparency, responsiveness and public institutional development (including education). Asstated in IAP's mission statement, IAP works to promote open and transparent governments...whereindividuals and groups have the opportunity to contribute to the decision making process, therebycontributing to efforts aimed at eliminating or reducing corruption and opaqueness.Goal of TANPSThe broad goal of the study is to promote the improvement of educational standards in Nigeria,through the raising of public awareness on the declining standards of education at all levelsespecially at the primary school level, and thereafter makes recommendations on how thesituation can be proactively and urgently addressed.7

Specific goals are:1 To ensure that gathered and analysed data is presented in a format that stakeholders –including policy makers at the state and local levels, officials of relevant schools’ boards,teachers, students, nongovernmental organizations and the media will understand andfind useful;2 To work towards ensuring that TANPS’ findings impact on education policy in Nigeria,specifically in the area of teacher absenteeism.ObjectivesThe objectives of this study:1. To underscore the factors and consequences of teachers’ absenteeism in Nigerianpublic schools2. To highlight, in the course of study survey and investigation, the patterns, types(kinds) and socio- cultural dimensions of absenteeism3. To compile and analyse the data collected and information gathered into a soundreport that will be used as advocacy tool4. To raise public awareness on the declining standards of education in Nigeria andadvocate for the introduction and implementation of measures that proactivelyaddress the situation.5. To use the TANPS report as advocacy material to campaign for the strengthening ofboth demand-side accountability (for the public to hold policy makers to account) andsupply-side accountability (to assist policy makers in effectively formulating andimplementing 'anti absenteeism' policies). Such advocacy materials will includePress releases, news bulletins, alerts, etc; Collaboration with the media for publicitycampaigns. Circulation of leaflets on this project report, tucked inside the pages ofdifferent newspapers for circulation; Asking relevant and topical questions onposters and banners in strategic locations under IAP sponsorship logo;Collaboration, partnership and networking with other civil society organisationsespecially those under TAP funding, human rights groups, etc to use this report intheir releases and programmes; Lobby activities with our contact groups at theNational Assembly and State houses of Assembly for advocacy and communicationetc..6. To widely disseminate the TANPS report locally and internationally: to the WorldBank and other multilateral institutions, UN agencies, including UNESCO, regionalinstitutions such as the African Union, the NEPAD secretariat and domesticgovernmental and non governmental institutions.7. To provide key stakeholders with up to date empirical information for policyformulation and planning purposes especially in making forecast for the number ofstudents intakes, facilities, teachers and materials.8

8. To make practical recommendations that will assist stakeholders in identifyinginefficiencies in public education institutions, thereafter formulate and implementways policies that will ameliorate them.LITERATURE REVIEWIAP conducted a desk study consisting of literature review of textbooks, journals, seminarpapers, conference and workshop papers, information from archives, the Internet, newspapers,libraries, etc. Our sources of data are categorised into three broad groups: primary, secondaryand ancillary/complimentary sources.Primary data sources include:1 Teachers’ daily register (attendance records) in the 57 primary schools in the last fiveyears.2 Records of supervision, monitoring and inspection on budget allocations to upgrade orrenovate facilities and structures by SUBEB. Records showing discrepancies wherefunds were allocated but not spent on the facilities and structures. Inventory of facilitiesand structures in the primary schools under coverage3 Documents from the Lagos state Ministry of Education on the administrative processes,review of education structure in Lagos state; and edicts governing primary educationetc.Secondary data sources include:1 Lagos State Library2 National Archives3 Existing Publications – journals, periodicals and bulletins on education.4 Newspapers and Magazines5 Reports from workshops, seminars and conferences on educationAncillary/Complimentary Data Sources include:1 Information and data supplied by our consultants, experts, advisers and board members2 Relevant information from TAP website3 Information from TAP launch workshop in Kampala, Uganda in July 20094 Information through networking with other organizations on similar project from otherdeveloping countries i.e. peer learning, networking and support.5 Information – including reports - from community leaders, community basedorganizations (CBOs) and civil society groups (CSOs, NGOs, Human Rights groups etc).Absenteeism study is a functional variant of Qualitative Service Delivery Survey (QSDS). It hasits own variables in terms of patterns, types (kinds), causes and consequences, but with verylittle body of evidence in Nigeria. Management literature, however, provides extensive9

discussions on the issue of absenteeism, with presentations of the damage it causes, its directand indirect costs, and methods and solutions for its reduction. In the education sphere,teachers’ absenteeism is a serious problem, not only in terms of the cost to the school orgovernment (salaries paid to absentee-teachers) but also the wasted education-time that is liableto impair the sense of confidence that the general public has in the schools.Equally, there are the costs associated with lost productivity, or reduced quality of services, aswell as the management, human resources, and occupational-health time spent dealing withabsence that could be used for other purposes (Whitaker, 2001). Students may eventually losetheir desire to learn if the regular teachers are frequently absent and the curriculum is coveredby substitute teachers or not covered at all. In essence, teachers’ absenteeism has importantimplications for schools reform, teacher training, educational leadership, and issues related tosocial justice aimed at promoting equity and excellence in the schools (Bruno, 2002).Absences by teachers or other workers are a costly problem for employers whether in the publicor private sector. Studies conducted in the United States (US) by CCH Incorporated in 2001estimated the average annual cost of unexcused absences per employee at $755, up 24% fromthe estimated $610 in 2000. In Nigeria, absences by teachers contribute to the decliningstandards in education as this meant loss of valuable class work and inability to cover syllabusover which examinations are set for the pupils. It leads to academic under-achievement asschool drop-outs abound.However, personal illness was the most commonly-cited problem (32%) in the US, but reasonsother than personal illness, including family issues (such as caring for a sick child or elderlyparent), stress, and personal needs, accounted for over two-thirds (68%) of unscheduledabsences (CCH Incorporated). Family responsibilities, once considered women’s issues, arebecoming increasingly important for both men and women (Erickson, RJ, Nichols, L, Ritter, C,2000). With the increase of dual-income families and other changes in the American society,men are tending to “invest greater portions of their identities in their non work/family lives.”(Erickson et al).In the US, 43% of employers consider unscheduled absenteeism to be a “serious” problem (CCHIncorporated). However, with particular reference to education, school organisations in theglobal North, led by the US are taking action to try to control the rate of absenteeism and toincrease the satisfaction of their teachers through work-life programs, action which could beintroduced by developing nations like Nigeria. The three work-life programs rated mosteffective by government authority (employers) were alternative work arrangements (i.e.,flexible scheduling), telecommuting, and compressed work week. While the previous threeprograms were named most effective, the same government authority (employers) rated theseas the most commonly used: alternative work arrangements, leave for school functions, and10

teacher (employee) assistance programs (e.g., information and referrals for teachers (employees)and their families experiencing personal problems (CCH Incorporated).Gender: Male-Female ratio: Studies have shown that women are absent more frequently than men(Fried, Melamed & Ben-David, 2002; Ichino & Moretti, 2006), because of family obligations(Steers & Rhodes, 1984; Meisenheimer, 1990; Ferris et al, 1988; Zehavi, 1999; Bridges &Mumford, 2001) and because they experience a great inter-job load (Vigoda, 1999). For women,family income, education and pre-school-age children all affect absenteeism, but it is thepresence of children aged under three that has the greatest impact. In general, among men,marital status and children aged 2-5 are the primary determinants of absenteeism (Bridges &Mumford, 2001).Child bearing years: During their child-bearing years, teacher absenteeism rates among womenare significantly higher than among men, in almost all the countries, including Nigeria, whereabsenteeism studies have been carried out (Oghuvbu Enamiroro Patrick, 2008; Ukoshi, C.F, 1995& Ubogu R.E, 2004). Women are more likely than men to report a major illness. Women werealso more likely to take time off when a child was ill or injured (Scott & McClellan, 1990).Bridges and Mumford (2001) found that in general women have similar patterns of absenteeismto men and differences stem primarily from prevalence to absenteeism among women withvery young children.Number of children: An absenteeism survey found that responsibility for children impacts on anindividual's absenteeism (Judge et al., 1997).Age: Researchers disagree about the direction of connection between teachers' age and thedegree of their absenteeism. Some researchers have found a negative (weak) connectionbetween age and absenteeism (Hackett, 1990), particularly among men. As age rises,absenteeism appears to decrease, possibly due to stronger commitment to work, and lesscommitment at home (Ferris et al., 1988; Thomson, Griffiths & Davison, 2000; Rosenblatt &Shirom, 2005).Nevertheless, the findings are not consistent; for instance, Zammuto, London & Rowland (1979)reached different conclusions. Perhaps age itself has no clear direct influence on absenteeismbut has an effect via the personal–school organisational positioning which is expressed in termsof appointment percentage and salary that normally rise with age. A connection is indicated inthe literature between teacher’s age (seniority) and personal position in the school (the level ofthe job), and as age and seniority increase, teachers get better conditions in terms of biggerscope of job, far more responsibility, and higher salary (Lawler, 1990, 1992).11

Why Absent? Among the respondents on questionnaire survey conducted by IAP, the mostcommon reasons reported for being absent from work were different types of illnesses: self(23.7%), moonlighting (25.2%), Head teacher is absent creating administrative laxness (25.4%).Others such as running degree programs without being detected (18.7%), Poor salaries andemoluments (32%), lack of effective administrative supervision, monitoring and controlincluding no surprised visits (45.6%), unattractive decaying facilities and dilapidated structures(24%) and No disciplinary measures against absences (31%). Yet others include rural schools(12.5%), weak Parents-Teachers association that seldom meet (20%) and schoolassignment/extra curricular activities (24.5).Types of Teachers’ Absenteeism:There are two broad types of absenteeism typified as excused and unexcused absences.However, being present in school and not teaching or involved in any school activity and beingreally absent while attendance records show present in school are two other forms ofabsenteeism peculiar to Nigeria.Excused Absence: This is work absenteeism that forms an aspect of teacher’s (or employee’s)rights that are enshrined in the law and in collective bargaining (trade union) agreements andare paid by the government (or its agency); and absenteeism that is not recognised by theschool/state law for reimbursement (Walfin, 1981; Sagie 1998; Thomson, Griffiths & Davison,2000). Objectively, within excused absence there are planned behaviours that the schoolauthority (immediate employer) knows about in advance, such as running errands on behalf ofthe school, extracurricular activities and external studies, and less planned ones such aspersonal reasons (family funeral engagement, etc), absenteeism due to illness, personal,religious or study-related reasons, absence due to a sick child, or maternity leave; for personalreasons – mourning, marriage and so on; as well as absenteeism that is unconnected to theteacher but related to the general working environment - such as strikes, labour-related issues,etc. All the reasons above that are common in Nigeria indeed find corroboration in the globalnorth as reported by Walfin, 1981; Taylor, 1983; Sagie 1998; Thomson at al., 2000 & Ehrenberg etal., 1989.Unexcused Absence – meaning absenteeism without an official or recognised (excused) reason,that occurs when a teacher fails to provide the school authority with a satisfactory explanationfor the absenteeism, or gives no reason at all (Walfin, 1981; Robinson and Bennett, 1995; Sagie1998; Thomson at al., 2000) leading to proportionate deduction in the teacher's salary. Theliterature shows that this form of behaviour is the most important and interesting one, becauseteachers are "willing" to pay for it out of their salary (Latham & Purcell, 1977); it is, however,difficult to quantify.With particular reference to Nigeria, there is no record or evidence that any teacher faced this.12

Unexcused absences also include hawking of wares around school premises or in other schools,moonlighting, attending traditional festivals, etc.Other Types of Absenteeism: Other patterns of absenteeism in Nigeria are absenteeism whilepresent in the school premises but not teaching and absenteeism although the register(attendance records) shows that such teachers are physically present in the school premises.Indeed, teachers’ absenteeism has highly important practical aspects, (Ehrenberg, Ehrenberg,Rees & Ehrenberg, 1989; Jacobson, Gibson & Ramming, 1993). Teachers who take time off fromwork, due to sickness, children’s care, maternity and extracurricular activities for their schools,etc, present problems for Head teachers, who must arrange for their work to be covered. Theirabsence has an impact on students and other teachers, as well as on the funds available toschools (Bowers, 2001). It impedes effective public education service delivery and overallpupils’ education performanceTeacher absenteeism is related both to student absenteeism and achievement. A high teacherabsenteeism and high student absenteeism will lead to very low student achievement. When aqualified teacher is away from the classroom, student achievement is negatively affected.Teachers are the educational leaders in the classroom, and their roles cannot be compromised(Ehrenberg, 1991; Woods and Montagno, 1997; Uehara, 1999; Bowers, 2001; Whitaker, 2001).However, an estimate of the effects of teacher absence on student performance is provided byDuflo and Hanna (2005) in their absenteeism study in India, indicating a randomisedintervention that reduced teacher absence from 36% to 18% led to a 0.17 standard deviationimprovement in student test scores.In this research, an examination of different personal and school-related factors is made inexplaining the absenteeism phenomenon, while the four types of absences are given greaterelucidation.Explanations for absenteeism: Explanatory and other factors cited in the context of absenteeism arenumerous. They can be sorted roughly into subjective factors such as work overload and stress -and their effects on personal life; lack of control over work; non-participation in decisionmaking;poor social support; and unclear management and work-role (Michine & Williams,2003) and specifically in Nigeria, lack of effective or nonexistent regulatory authoritysupervision, virtual absence of disciplinary measures, absence of automated attendance recorddevice to keep a close tab on teacher daily movement, and the objective factors.In examining objective factors we find in the literature two main groups of personal variablesrelated to absenteeism: demographic variables (Ferris et al., 1988), which include age, sex, andnumber of children; and a group of school-organisational variables linked to work and status in13

the school setting (Steers & Rhodes, 1984) such as decaying facilities and dilapidated structures,misallocation of resources, inadequate funding, funds diversion, delays in funds’ release,illness, age, institutional influence, education, seniority and salary. Underpinning these findingsthat are highly pronounced in Nigeria, Rosenblatt and Shirom (2005) found that previousabsenteeism, age, education, and supervisory position were significant predictors forabsenteeism frequency in the US.Teacher's personal status – gender, number of children, and ageGender: Many researchers maintain that women are absent more frequently than men (Fried,Melamed and Ben-David, 2002; Ichino and Moretti, 2006), because of family obligations (Steersand Rhodes, 1984; Meisenheimer, 1990; Ferris et al, 1988; Zehavi, 1999; Bridges and Mumford,2001) and because they experience a great inter-job load (Vigoda, 1999). For women, familyincome, education and pre-school-age children all affect absenteeism, but it is the presence ofchildren aged less than three that has the greatest impact. In general, among men, marital statusand children aged 2-5 are the primary determinants of absenteeism (Bridges & Mumford, 2001).Teacher's personal–school organizational positioning – appointment percentage and salaryAppointment percentage - As seniority and teacher's status increases, so does the appointmentpercentage as stated earlier in the case of the US. It is also reflected in higher salary and status(Vigoda, 1999; Waters & Rouch, 1971). Rosenblatt & Shirom (2006) found that the higher ateacher's administrative position, the fewer his or her absence spells. In this way, appointmentpercentage forms part of the school-organisational position, particularly as compared to parttimeand temporary teachers, whose position is much lower. This line of argument is indeed atvariance with what obtains in Nigeria where seniority, teacher’s status as in official position, donot connote lower absences, but as IAP found out, the category of senior teachers includinghead teachers who have spent more than 15 years are more highly guilty in the absenteeismbehaviour.Salary - Salary usually reflects teacher's seniority in the school-organisation and his or herprogress up the scale; it has a great impact on job satisfaction (Lawler, 1990, 1992; Locke, 1976).Various studies show that salary has a direct connection to absenteeism levels of teachers(Jacobson, 1989; Hackett, 1990), and also to job satisfaction. The prevailing opinion is that thereis a negative correlation between the job level and teacher absenteeism (Mercer, Mould &Taggart, 1976; Ilgen & Hollenbeck, 1977).In other words, as job-level, salary and responsibility rise, absenteeism declines, and vice versa.Promotion to a supervisory position leads to a reduction in subsequent absence spells, and timelost in absences. The higher the supervisory level, the more pronounced its negative effect onsubsequent absence behaviour (Shirom & Rosenblatt, 2006). However, these research findingsdo not find much support in Nigeria where Head teachers are frequently absent as a result of14

administrative responsibilities of visiting SUBEB over one issue or the other thereby creatingmanagerial laxness in most public schools.School positioning – teachers’ characteristics in schools, and the education stageThis positioning is represented by the characteristics of teachers in schools and through theschool-organisational-social positioning – the education stage: these create the sociologicalculturalenvironment in which the teacher functions (Johnson, 1990). Teachers are more satisfiedin schools where more resources are available for teaching and learning. Teachers are also moresatisfied in schools where they are paid on time and where there are greater opportunities forprofessional discussion and collaboration (Sargent & Hannum, 2005). Furthermore, Bruno(2002) found that in the US, there is a strong association between the geographical quality of theschool's site setting, teacher absenteeism, and the reliance on substitute teachers to deliverinstructional programs. Pitkoff (1993) found that absenteeism rates were affected by schoolprofile variables.Characteristics of teachers in schoolsThe average salary of school teachers The average salary of school teachers indicates the socioeconomicstatus of the school (Tieri, 1981) and of the teachers, whether or not it is a wellestablishedschool, and the extent to which it employs senior teachers with experience and ahigh rank in the system.The percentage of female teachers in school One must take into account the fact that, to a greatextent, the profession of teaching is considered a "female profession" in Western countries, as aresult of the need to care for children (Hoffman, 1981; Tyack & Strahler, 1981). Since women andchildren in Western culture have little social power, teaching remains a low-status, low-salaryjob, as compared with other jobs that require similar training in terms of the time invested, butenjoy greater prestige (Johnson, 1990). Against this backdrop, researchers have often concludedthat a school with a totally female staff is likely to have lower status, and in four of the schools(Saint Georges Primary School; Answar-Udden Primary School; Army Cantonment PrimarySchool and Agbeke Primary School) when IAP completed the study survey, there are entirelyall female teachers.Average seniority of teachers As their seniority and experience increases; teachers get jobs carryinghigher responsibility (Vigoda, 1999) as well as tenure. So when a school has a considerablenumber of teachers with seniority it benefits the school's position, and vice versa.School level With each level in the education process, differences between the schools becomelarger and more complex, since they must meet more complex needs. As a result, middle- andhigh-schools are more complex than elementary ones (Herriott & Firestone, 1984). In middleand high school, along with the professionalism of the teaching subjects that are being studied15

and the separation created accordingly, teachers receive greater autonomy and this increasesthe status of teachers at the highest stage of children's education. According to Lindeboom &Kerkhofs (2000), workplace effects are important in explaining sickness absence patterns, and abetter understanding of these workplace conditions will prove essential in reducing sicknessabsenteeism.16

METHODOLOGYHypothesisThe hypothetical construct is based on the following:a) Lack of effective official state supervision and monitoring through surprised orunannounced visits engenders laxness that creates room for teachers’ absenteeism.b) The general societal attitude to teaching as a financially and socially unrewardingprofession and a dumping ground for laggards makes teaching unappealing to teachersand consequently engenders absenteeism.c) The dilapidated structures, decaying facilities and inadequate funding make publicschools less appealing to teachers and consequently breeds absenteeism.d) The absence of effective supervision and monitoring has created loopholes that teachersexploit to embark on full time education programme while holding down full timeteaching jobs in addition to running mobile businesses – such as hawking jewelleries,cloths, shoes and bags - in the school premises.First Steps: SensitisationIAP embarked on a sensitisation outreach to educate different categories of people on theobjectives of the research and its importance as a critical tool in campaigning for improvementin education standards not only in Lagos, but in the country as a whole. There was effectualnetworking with journalists, national and international civil society organisations on the specificobjectives of the project and the role such organisations could play in the implementation of theproject, especially during advocacy, thereby laying the foundation of future collaboration withdifferent stakeholders at a later stage of the project’s life cycle.Qualitative Research: Focus Group DiscussionsAs part of implementing this project, IAP conducted two separate Focus Group Discussionswhich provided a range of useful information and participants included representatives of theaudiences we have targeted for our educational outreach such as lecturers from Universitiesand Colleges of Education, the Education ministry and SUBEB, representatives of civil societyorganisations, education experts, teachers, parents, ordinary local citizens and communityleaders. Questions chosen for the focus groups were reviewed by local stakeholders to ensurethey address the programmatic issues we wished to address.Discussion guideThe Project team agreed on a written list of topics to be covered formulated as a series of openendedquestions and a discussion guide was developed. Guides for different groups gathered todiscuss the same subject varied slightly, depending on their knowledge or attitudes and howthe subject should first be explored with them. The discussion guide began with generalquestions; thereafter moving to more specific probes. There were general questions on their17

definition or understanding of key concepts like absenteeism, truancy and lateness to theirperception of what the problem is and the degree of the problem. Thereafter there werequestions on causes and kinds of absenteeism:Questions about causes of absenteeismLead questions include: Is teachers’ absenteeism caused by poor salaries & emoluments? Doteachers consider their remuneration adequate or not? Is it lack of effective administrativesupervision, monitoring and control? Are teachers on absenteeism taking advantage of theabsence of electronic or automated attendance record device to monitor staff daily movement?Is absenteeism a result of decay of facilities and dilapidated structures? Is it due to other factorslike illness, festivals, sporadic violence and crimes?Questions about kinds of absenteeism relate to what participants consider as various kinds ofabsences – being in school and not teaching; not present in the school at all; sign attendanceand leave for other jobs; running degree courses at the same time, etc. Consequences andsolutions to teachers’ absenteeism were also discussed, particularly what can be done toimprove the situation and what change do participants want to see, etc?Logistics at SessionsFrom IAP’s experience, we discovered that the more observers in the room, the less comfortableparticipants are, so we minimised the number of observers which made participants free tooffer their views candidly. We ensured that the rooms we used were comfortable, participantswere provided with light snacks, rest rooms were in close proximity, etc. Participants sat roundtables wearing name tags, with a note-taker to take notes. We ensured confidentiality ofopinions and asked for the co-operation from the group members to keep what has beendiscussed confidential. Some group members presented very personal problems while someothers sought advice or help, these were followed up after the FGDs Generally we worked toencourage optimum communication and interaction during the FGDs.Information GatheredOverall in the two groups, the discussion was wide ranging. Examples are below:Perception/definition/understanding of Absenteeism: While awareness of the problems associatedwith frequent or habitual absence of teachers from school was quite high among participants,there was less knowledge on what exactly absenteeism means as a concept. They understand itmore as absence from work or none attendance. Some experts said perhaps a better term is chronicabsenteeism, which was described as missing more than 10 percent of the school days, excusedand unexcused. There is evidence that missing more than 10% out of a nine months school calendarnegatively affects the performance of all children, while children who experience high poverty and whomiss that many days also have low grade performance. (A participant from Ojoo local18

government)Perception of what is Truancy: Many participants also raised the issue of absence of children fromschools, with some preferring to use the term truancy which connotes that children are sitting onthe streets doing something wrong. But perhaps more importantly, there was the issue oflateness of teachers to school. Technically, such teachers are recorded as not being absent, butsome of them come to work several hours after when they were due to have signedAbsenteeism was implied to mean1 Absence of teachers from school2 Lateness to school3 Reporting for work in the afternoon instead of at 7am4 Engaging in extracurricular activities in the school instead of teaching5 Running errands on behalf of the school or on behalf of the Head teacher instead ofteaching6 Engaging in moonlighting (keeping two or more jobs) and making teaching to suffer7 Running degree courses along with the teaching jobReasons for Absenteeism (FGDs)1 Lack of daily transportation to schools in the remote rural areas that sometimesrequires teachers going there by okada (commercial motorbikes) that are very costly,meaning that they cannot be going there every working day.2 Poor salaries and poor condition of service (e.g. promotion is almost non-existent)compared to their counterparts in the civil service3 Lack of residential accommodation in some locations/areas4 Supervisory agency and Education Ministry do not visit some of these schools at all,because they are in the rural areas and the roads are almost impassable.Effects of Absenteeism on Educational Standards (FGDs)1 Contributory factor to the declining standards in education as teachers’ absencesmeant loss of valuable class work and inability to cover syllabus over whichexaminations are set for the pupils.2 It leads to academic under-achievement as school drop-outs abound.3 Costs and wastages are on the upswingField Research: Facility Survey & Research Information SurveyThe survey design can be categorised into two broad groups – facility survey and researchinformation survey.a) Facility survey instruments relate to the use of video recording camcorder and stillpicture camera recording device, to record the current state or condition of the schoolfacilities and structures. We would record the number of facilities per school and19

compare them with official recordsb) Research information survey instruments are questionnaire survey and in-depthinterviews.However, for IAP to be able to determine the rate of absenteeism, its types and patterns, wedecided to embark on surprised or unannounced visits to the selected schools. Our researcherswould arrive at each school of visit before 7am and closely monitor how teachers come in forone whole week (5 school days); their movement during school hours; and whether they teachtheir students (pupils) even while in the classrooms. We divided the 57 schools into threedifferent groups of 19 schools per group whereby 12 researchers (external collaborators) – offour (4) researchers will come under an IAP staff to cover each group of 19 schools.Each group:a) Gathered information on the facilities and structures on the ground.b) Monitored teachers’ attendancec) Made photocopies of existing teachers’ daily attendance records for five years.d) Interviewed the Head Teacher and where possible, the Assistant Head teachere) Administered the questionnaire survey to 150 respondents (teachers, students,parents, community leaders, education experts or policy makers etc) in the localcommunity.Research Information SurveyQuestionnaire Administration: For the research information survey, questionnaires wereadministered on a stratified sample of teachers and direct supervisors. The statistical dataanalysis therefore uses both the Multi-Linear Analysis (MLA) and the Hierarchical LinearModelling (HLM) to analyse and draw conclusions on the findings. Multi-Linear Analysis is amulti-level model that enables a researcher to examine the variance (or variables) in teachers’absenteeism within the school setting and the geographical environment. Hierarchical LinearModelling (HLM) or Nested data structure takes care of people existing in an organizationalstructure like a school where teachers exhibit hierarchical social structure that include peergroup, classroom, school setting, school community (or local government area) family, stateand country.The advantages are that the sampled population is similar to each other as against the generalpopulation. They are from the same community area having the same socio- cultural andeconomic experience, ethnic affinity, and religion. The sample was taken from an alphabeticallist of the teachers. Survey conducted between September and early December 2009 beingmonths without school holidays, thus representing continuous work.Sample and the sampling methodQuantitative research respondents comprises teachers who receive their salary from SUBEB20

with subvention from both the National Universal Basic Education Commission (Federal) andState Ministry of Education, and are employed in schools at all education stages: elementaryeducation, and junior-high; state-schools, and religious or community schools. It is based onSUBEB and Ministry of Education data files, and relates to 53 public primary schools thatcomprise a total of 986 teachers and 53 head teachers. There was a total average of 549 pupils(out of 29,107 pupils), with a standard deviation of 12.8.Field Survey Personnel TrainingQualitative training was given to three IAP staff and 12 researchers (external collaborators) onhow to administer the field survey questionnaire, and quality control measures wereintroduced to ensure accurate and reliable outcome of field research, as follows:1. Pre-briefing workshop and selection of experienced researchers/interviewers.2. Training for the three IAP staff who will serve as fieldwork supervisors on the followingtechniques:(i) To do spot field checks of field researchers/interviewers to eliminate fraud,inaccurate form filling and other malpractices(ii) To review all completed questionnaires for accuracy, consistency,authenticity and legibility(iii) To monitor the accuracy and quality of individual interviewsPilot SurveyBefore start of fieldwork, the finalised questionnaire was used for a small-scale pilot test inLagos in the following schools:(a) Orisigun Primary School, Ketu, Lagos, under Ketu-Agboyi Local GovernmentDevelopment Authority (LCDA)(b) Agidingbi Primary School, Agidingbi, under Ikeja Local Government(c) Gbeleyi Primary School, Ahmed Way, Gbeleyi, under Ijaiye-Ojokoro Local GovernmentDevelopment Authority (LCDA).The interviewers also field tested the respondent selection technique while the spot checksroutines were tried by supervisors.Facility SurveyFor facility visits, IAP field researchers paid unannounced visits to 53 public primary schools(facilities) categorised into five zones, as against 57 schools we originally set out to cover. Dataon four schools were muddled up and we had to discard them as unusable. However, we tooknote of the number of teachers absent for work. The study focuses on teachers absencethroughout the day; teachers present in school but not teaching and those (especiallyheadmasters) who were on school authority’s assignments. Though there is a prevalence ofabsenteeism in the rural areas, absence is fairly widespread across the schools whether urban or21

ural. Also, absence is noticeable among head teachers and teachers who have stayed betweenfive and 10 years and above in the schools under study as against teachers with less than fiveyears. Primary school teachers are predominantly female (820), with four of the schools beingentirely female teachers (no male at all), while 46 out of 53 head teachers are female and surveyindicates more female teacher absences than male teachers. With 166 male teachers, there isfemale-male teacher ratio of almost 5:1.During the survey period, IAP took note of the state of existing facilities in the 53 schoolsvisited, taking photographs and video recordings. We did direct verification of teachers’attendance records and collected hard data on facilities and structures. We collected data onphysical verification of teachers’ presence at schools and not on attendance registers orinterviews with head teachers, since we found out that teachers helped some of their colleaguesto sign attendance registers. Within two and half months, our researchers paid one weekunannounced visits to 53 randomly chosen public schools from 53 local governments in LagosState, totalling 986 teachers and 53 head teachers. Indeed, we had 3,117 observations on theseschools.A teacher was counted as absent if, at the time of surprised visits, he/she was not in school andwe took measures during the survey to ensure that we do not overestimate the rate of absence.The list of teachers covered under the survey was taken at each school premises from theirofficial record books and information schedule. Field researchers then proceeded to check theattendance to find out those who reported for work and those who did not and reasons forabsence, as we took note of those on official assignment and those on excused absence.Description of the surveyed schoolsEducational stage: 53 elementary schools, (N=986 teachers and 53 head teachers)Education stream (state and state-religious/community schools): 9 state schools with 122teachers and 9 head teachers; 22 state-religious schools with 390 teachers and 22 head teachers:22 state-community schools with 474 teachers and 22 head teachersTeachers’ characteristics in the sampleGender (1039) – 78.92% female; 15.97% maleAge – average age was 31.0, with a standard deviation of 7.3 years.Children – 23.7 % of the teachers surveyed had no children under 18, while 85% had from onechild to six children. The average number of children was 1.7, with a standard deviation of 1.33.Domicile – 64 % of the teachers lived in the locality where they teach, and 34.6 % of them livedoutside the locality (the remaining 1.4% did not provide information).Seniority – ranging from 1 to 31 years; the average was 10.3 with a standard deviation of 5.6years.Salary – The average is N27, 450 (USD 228.75) with a standard deviation of 35.0.22

Table 3 is further explained and expressed in these pie and bar charts and graph:Figure 1: Four Types of Absences (frequency in mean & standard deviation)Figure 2: Four Types of Absenteeism (Mean & Standard Deviation)28

Figure 3: Graph illustration of types of absences in mean & standard deviation.Table 4: Frequency table for teacher-respondent demographic informationDemographic variables Frequency %Gender Male 166 16.61Female 820 83.18Age 20 – 29 210 20.1730 – 39 458 43.9940 – 49 205 19.6950 above 168 16.13Status Head Teachers 53 5.09Academic qualifications &Professional qualificationsTeachers 986 97.71Grade II 40 4.02OND 2 0.20NCE 637 64,14Graduate without 23 2.31teaching29

qualificationsGraduate with 276 27.79teachingqualificationsOthers 15 1.51Length of Service 1 – 5 years 320 30.736 – 10 years 486 46.6811 – 15 years 161 15.4616 or more 74 7.10Teachers gross pay (salary) N15,250-#25,750 422 42.49N27,680-#40,700 288 29.00N42,540-#52,750 283 28.49Number of teaching days/extra 22 days perdays on coachingmonth plus Xnumber ofcoaching days.From the above data table, we were able to elicit the following informationA. Teachers’ Personal variables1. Teacher’s gender: 1 = female, 0 = male.The number of children the teacher have mostly under age 18. Most teachers (85 % of them)have between 1 to 6 children.2. Teacher's age – obtained from what they indicated on the questionnaire survey theycompleted.B. Data on Teachers’ Personal–School organisation variables:- Gross pay – the overall salary paid to the teacher, as in the pay slip on the data provided bySUBEB/Education Ministry range between N15, 250 and N52, 750.- Seniority or length of service – the number of years the teacher has been part of the educationsystem, measured by SUBEB data.- Appointment percentage – data were obtained on teachers job percentages, that representedthe number of teaching days plus other days not officially in the school calendar(during whichthey were in the school) proportionally to their job's base of 22 days per month.C. Variables characterising teachers at the school(1) Percentage of women teachers at the school – calculated in each school from the gender30

variable.(2) Average gross pay of a teacher at the school – obtained from the teacher's salary at theschool, which is N27, 450 (USD 228.75)(3) Average seniority of schoolteachers – calculated from the seniority variable (divided by thenumber of teachers at the same school). But overall average is 0.69%.From the foregoing, we took note of external variables such as school teacher’s characteristicsrepresented by the percentage of women, average school salary, and the education level thatconstitute its indicators. The teacher’s personal characteristic was from the age variable whilethe teacher’s personal school-organisation characteristics were appointment percentage andteacher's gross pay.The internal variables include explained and unexplained absence behaviours in terms of thetotal days of excused and unexcused absences, their proportion regarding the teacher's job, andby the number of excused and unexcused absences over the month. Equally, there is absencebehaviour as a result of being present in school but not teaching – this indicates almost 50percent in the survey data collected on this variable and there is absence behaviour that is atvariance with official record showing present in school – a variable that is hidden in teachers’conspiracy and almost kept secret by even head teachers.All these internal variables represent the four types of absenteeism that the research attempts toexplain. Therefore, in explaining the four types of absenteeism, there is a great correlation andconnection between school positioning ( personnel characteristics in school – average salary ofteachers, percentage of female teachers, average seniority of teachers and education stagefacilities) and teachers’ personal/organisational positioning such as gender, number of children,age, salary and appointment percentage. In explaining these relationships, the factors above(school, personal and organisational) are external influences affecting absenteeism behaviour,while factors such as illnesses, moonlighting, childcare, laziness by deliberate refusal to teachwhile in school, degree courses, etc all directly affect absenteeism behaviour.Summary of FindingsOn the four hypotheses: The study validated the hypotheses as it was found out that theeducation agency (SUBEB) and State education ministry seldom visit the schools quarterly andworse still never by surprised or unannounced visit, thereby creating room for teachers’absences. Yet, under SUBEB’s enabling law, the agency is statutorily expected to visit andsupervise public primary and junior secondary schools regularly, though no unannounced orsurprised visit is stated in the law and the law also does not interpret regularly to mean weekly,monthly or quarterly.31

Secondly, because the society sees teaching as an unrewarding profession with low wages,many teachers resort to having other jobs (otherwise known as moonlighting). This was foundto be true most especially among female teachers who own or run boutique shops, beautysalons, food items, etc.Thirdly, decaying facilities (no toilets, drinking water wells, electricity, shortage of tables andchairs etc) all contribute to discouraging teachers from constant attendance in school, and thisdecay is commonplace in almost all the schools visited. Fourthly, administrative laxness andlack of enforcement of disciplinary measures provide teachers with veritable loopholes forabsences. We found out that those who were absent were never (have never been) punished byschool authority or SUBEB or State education ministry. Then, why won’t there be teachers’absences.Also, it was noticeable there were no substitutes to replace absent teachers, making the pupils tomill around the school premises and in some schools they were occupied with emergency testsby other class teachers just to keep them busy and prevent them from strolling around schoolpremises aimlessly. No school was closed throughout the period of survey due to localfestivities, outbreak of epidemic or other social related problems.Indeed, one noticeable trend is that the Head teachers who ought to discipline absentee-teachersare guilty of the same absenteeism behaviour, and as some experts (focus group discussions)indicate, they sometimes hide under school authority assignments (visit to SUBEB, StateEducation ministry etc) to be absent (36 times) from school in pursuit of their personalbusinesses.IAP’s findings from focus group discussions include:1 Lack of daily transportation to schools in the remote rural areas that sometimes requiresteachers going there by okada (commercial motorbikes) that are very costly, meaning thatthey could not afford to report to work every week day, going by simple economics;2 Poor salaries and poor condition of service (e.g. promotion is almost non-existent)compared to their counterparts in the civil service;3 Lack of residential accommodation in some locations or areas. Supervisory agency andEducation Ministry officials do not visit some of these schools at all, because the schoolsare in the rural areas and the roads are almost non existenceIssue of remunerationGovernment should address the issue timely promotion for the teachers and the remunerationpackage that goes with it, at par with their civil service counterparts.32

Reversing the trendSome participants believe that at the root of the absences was poverty, that there is need tocollect individual attendance data because it will help to clear up confusion during Parents -Teachers meetings and serve to start a dialogue to explain to parents who sometimes have “noidea” that excused absences hurt their children academically, said one participant from LagosIsland.A female teacher at Ikorodu was particularly virulent in her criticism of the system: “Peoplealways say it is the fault of the teachers whenever there is any issue with schools. Do you knowhow much it costs me to transport myself from my house to school? It I have to be in schoolevery school day, my salary will not even be enough to cover my transport. This means that it iseither I chose when to go to school and when not to go, or find ways of making extra moneythrough doing petty business that takes me away from school. The situation is that bad, and it isgetting worse. Nobody seem to be doing anything about this, it is all about teachers not beingcommitted. This is unfair, grossly unfair.”It was generally agreed that parents, civil society organisations, community leaders andcommunity based organisations should pay more attention to monitoring teachers’ movement.More so, public schools should be fenced like private schools and gates locked up immediatelyafter morning assembly, just like the private schools.Absenteeism MeasurementAbsenteeism means absence from a day’s duty illegitimately; therefore, one day was taken asthe unit of measurement of absence. The overall assumption was that everyday a teacher isabsent costs the system financially, but the extent has never been determined. The average unitcost of absenteeism was taken to be the average working day’s pay per teacher, which wasobtained by dividing the average monthly salary by the number of working days in the month.This was based on the teachers’ salary in operation during the period of study. This unit costwas used to determine the total cost of teacher absenteeism. Available records of the sampledschools showed that the absentee teachers were paid their full salaries during the period ofstudy, including the days absented.The major variables considered include: the number of teachers that were absent from schoolsin the sampled schools; the total monthly salaries of teachers in the sampled schools, and thetotal number of days that teachers were absent. Simple percentage, average and cost ratio wereused for data analysisTeacher activitySince teaching was defined as when the teacher was present in the classroom, supervising theclass in some activity, including supervising pupils reading aloud or doing their own work, or33

when pupils themselves were leading the class at the blackboard, under supervision of theteacher. Non-teaching activities are defined as when the teacher is not present in the classroomwhen he or she should have been, although the teacher was present in the school. This includedbeing in the staffroom, sleeping, eating or talking with other teachers, or engaged in some othernon-teaching activity around the school.Our findings indicate that most teachers in the public sector were not always engaged inteaching activities mainly because of administrative laxness, absence of surprised visits byregulatory agencies, zero disciplinary measures against erring teachers, unlike the privateschools where there are strict administration and disciplinary rules, despite their lowsalary/remuneration.RESULTS AND COSTSUnder the study survey, 25 Head teachers were absent 36 times while 75 teachers were absent88 times, making a total of 100 teachers in 124 absences. The Head teacher- teacher absenteeismratio was 1:3. Indeed, government effectively lost N86, 318.18 in salaries to these absentee Headteachers during the reporting period. Also, the lost to government in financial cost on the 75class teachers absenting 88 times is N160,995.29, making a grand total financial lost ofN247,313.47 to the government within three months. But if the absenteeism trend continuesthroughout the year round, undoubtedly, the figure would be a staggering N2, 225,821.23 fromthe 53 public primary schools in Lagos State under this study, and therefore constitutes a drainon government financial resources.Apart from financial cost to government, another cost is that teacher absenteeism brings abouteconomic damage through direct and indirect costs in terms of impact on schools’ budgets andincreased workload for colleagues without compensation. There are also the costs of substitutestaff or overstaffing the school must take into account, the costs associated with lost in notcovering the syllabus for the pupils, reduced quality of services, as well as the management,human resources, and occupational health time spent dealing with absence that could be usedfor other purposesSchool building and playgrounds (See video recording) 36 schools are without enough classrooms andoperate classes outside)In the survey we sought to know whether the majority of the teaching was taking place in abrick or concrete block building, or in some other construction, such as a veranda, a tent, inopen spaces, or in other temporary buildings. They also noted whether the school had aplayground available—although this could be of any size, not necessarily one meeting theregulatory specifications. Most of the schools had no good structures conducive for proper34

learning, only very few had brick or concrete block buildings especially the older schoolsestablished between 1920’s to 1970’s. All others are shanties; especially 36 out of 53 schools arewithout classrooms (Table 2)School facilitiesThe researchers noted whether particular facilities were available in the observed schools oravailable for children around the school (in the case of toilets, drinking water, tape recorders,library and computers). Quite a sizable number of these schools had water-closet toilets or pitlatrines,while there none in few others. Indeed, 51 schools lacked 8,349 pupils’ desks/benchesand 938 teachers’ chairs/tables, while 11 schools lacked water supply as in borehole/pit-well.Most schools had their premises fenced, partially fenced or not fenced all.Indeed most of the teachers and Head teachers complained of the decaying facilities in theirschools, citing it as one of the reasons why many teachers don’t come to work. “We have pitlatrines in our schools and the female teachers are not comfortable using it. Often, they have togo back home or to nearby places when nature calls. If you have to leave classroom in themiddle of the day for the sole purpose of using the toilet, how can you expect the teacher to betotally committed. Yet, authorities will be saying we don’t discipline errant teachers, do weeven have the moral right to do that?” said an exasperated Head Teacher.EFFECTS AND GENERAL COSTS OF ABSENTEEISMTeachers’ absenteeism is a contributory factor to the falling standards of education since itamounts to heavy loss of valuable class work and the inability to cover the syllabus over whichexaminations are set for the pupils.Since education is a social and economic right of citizens, inadequate funding, funds diversion,embezzlement of education funds, all impact on creating problems of decaying facilities, poorsalaries and emolument, shortage of classrooms and equipment forcing pupils/students tobeing taught under trees and other open places, poor policy implementation, monitoring andcontrol in all education stages in Nigeria. Because of these, teachers are never encouraged tocome to school to teach.Effects of teachers’ absenteeism on pupils include: academic underachievement which increasescosts and wastage; difficulty in making friends leading to boredom, loss of confidence andinvolvement in under aged sexual activity which could lead to early teenage pregnancyresulting to school dropout and stress for the children and their parents. Public schools becomea dumping ground for unqualified teachers, teachers engaging in multiple jobs, socialdecadence with increasing incidence of social vices – drugs, armed robberies, prostitution,internet scam, teenage pregnancies and high child-birth mortality. Also, there is rapidmushrooming of miscreants or dregs in the society otherwise called Area Boys and Area Girls35

who unleash constant menace and terror on the society.Overall, the society suffers as it degenerates into illiteracy: youngsters no longer want to go toschool as they have caught the frenzy of the effects of globalisation whereby instead ofschooling they now prefer sports (e.g. football from age 12-14 upwards), entertainments, moviesproduction, modelling, beauty pageant etc. They are also into all kinds of racketeering, scams,Advance Fee Fraud (also known as 419) etc to make quick money. Under Nigeria’s democraticdispensation, they constitute willing tools to be used as political thugs to cause mayhem at will.In other words, the phenomenon of teacher absenteeism has devastating consequences on theeducational system, the national economy and on the pupils. Vaizey (1971) and Adeyemi (1998)contended that teacher absenteeism has the tendency to increase cost of financing education. Itcan also lead to increased student dropout rates. There is the tendency to classify absenteeteachers as truant teachers with much tendency to breed truant and delinquent students.Although absenteeism could be because of genuine reasons, but could be illegitimate when theschool authority is not duly informed before or immediately there is a cause for it either inwriting or by proxy.In fact, one of laws when Nigeria was still running a parliamentary system of government(Section 67, part IX, cap 4 of Western Nigerian Education Laws) considers teacher’s absencefrom school without permission as a professional misconduct, which if proved “would warrantthe prohibition or suspension from teaching of the teacher. The irony of it today is that suchteachers are paid their full salaries by school heads, with no official report made to supervisingministry. If a worker gets paid for an undone job, it is morally awful and economicallyirresponsible. The aggregate of such practices would inflate the cost of production, even if it ismarginal.Absenteeism could also be a sign of bad management, which can cause a lot of harm anddamage to the school. Teacher absenteeism affects the internal and external efficiency of theeducational system. It certainly leads to loss of many school days resulting to high rate ofdropouts and failures as well as creating a pool of large numbers of costly repeaters, becausemany lessons would not be taught.Largely, most educational financial analysts hardly consider how efficiently the availablephysical, financial and human resources are being used to achieve desired educational goals. Inthe Nigerian setting, school administrators hardly have ideas of what it cost to provide any unitof education or how the classroom time of the teacher is judiciously used. In the absence of suchbasic data, educational managers become severely handicapped to improve cost effectivenessand to assess and explore alternative possible ways of getting more and better results within thelimits of available resources. More so, the efficiency of the Nigerian educational system has36

much been in doubt. It is in this light that this study intends to contribute to improveeducational planning and management for improved efficiency in the use of limited resourcesto minimise wastage arising from absenteeism.37

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONSEvidence from the research literature on teacher absenteeism in Nigeria, relevant documentsand the experts’ views suggest it is a very serious problem among primary school teachers inNigeria.A significant number of teachers were absent from school, and only about half were teaching,during unannounced visits to 53 public primary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria. Absence ratesvaried from school to school with absence rates fairly widely distributed in urban and ruralareas. The study does not reveal any significant effect of higher pay being associated with lowerabsence. Older teachers, more educated teachers, and head teachers are all paid more but arealso more frequently absent, compared to private school teachers who receive lower salary buthave very minimal absence rates.The reasons for this in private schools are: most private schools are fenced with brick walls,having gates that are locked immediately after morning assembly so that teachers and studentscannot go out until after school closes for the day; strict enforcement of disciplinary measuresagainst erring teachers and students; effective management supervision, control of resourcesand plugging areas of leakage/wastage. Teacher absence is more correlated with the absenceof these factors: teachers are less likely to be absent at schools that are inspected regularly, thathave better infrastructure and facilities, and financial resources are readily available.In conclusion, the prevalence of teachers’ absenteeism behaviour respond more to causal factorsof school-organisational positioning as well as personal positioning, which shows that there willalways be absences if disciplinary measures are not enforced and absentee-teachers made to payfor it out of their salary.Recommendations:1 There is need for stakeholders to embark on massive moral education andcounselling for teachers and pupils, because pupils’ absenteeism can also causedamage to education. Indirect economic damage is caused because there arecountries where pupil's attendance in school is rewarded by the state: thereforewhen attendance drops schools' economics' is affected in consequence (Jacobson etal., 1993).2 There is need to bridge the wide gap between teachers and parents through effectiveParents-Teachers Association. Parents are also encouraged to visit their childrenschools to know how they are being taught by teachers and through this they canmitigate against teacher’s absences by reporting erring ones to the appropriategovernment authority for disciplinary action.3 Automated electronic attendance record device, truancy sweeps and effective schooladministrative disciplinary rule enforcement must be introduced to monitor38

teachers’ school attendance. This is one of the technical approaches allowingobjective monitoring of teacher attendance such as the camera monitoring systemexplored by Duflo and Hanna (2005) in their study of teacher absenteeism inIndia4 Government must ensure that all public schools are fenced like the private schoolsand locked up after morning assembly to prevent teachers and pupils from leavingthe schools at will.5 Proper and adequate funding of school education by governments as well as timelyrelease of such funds.6 Constant upgrading of school facilities and structures to make teaching moreattractive.7 Tripartite partnership between governments, communities or public and parents.Solid partnership among all stakeholders of the media, civil society organisations,policymakers (government officials), community-based organizations, theacademics, religious leaders & organizations, who own schools to come together toarrest the falling standards of education.8 There should be research into appropriate information technology tools to combatabsenteeism. For example in Uganda, the Ministry of Education and Sports in 2009introduced a software that will help monitor teachers' attendance in public primaryschools. The software called epi-handy, was developed in collaboration with DutchDevelopment organisation SNV and the Faculty of Computing and InformationTechnology, Makerere University.9 There is need to introduce reforms and thereafter for authorities to identify the effectof a particular set of reform on attendance by running a randomised trial. Forexample, SUBEB can choose 100 representative schools, establish (for example) aTeachers-Parents Association committee in 50 of these schools, and wait to start suchcommittees in the other half till the evaluation is over: over the evaluation period,they can compare the outcomes in the two groups of schools. This randomisedevaluation approach is very similar to how new drugs and vaccines are tested, and itis now being increasingly used by development economists.10 There is need to monitor more intensively and to base incentives (both rewards andpunishments) on measured performance. To do this, the authorities have to establisha set of explicit rules and put people in charge of the monitoring. The control isexternal when it is exercised by those who have no direct stake in the service beingdelivered. This is the case, for example, when the state seeks to punish absentteachers or when it gives them rewards based on school attendance and/or schoolperformance. External control need not always be about monetary incentives—SUBEB can also use praise or shame to put pressure on its teachers39

NEXT STEPSWe are in the process of finalising the report, including formatting the layout, incorporatingvarious comments by relevant stakeholders into it, including using relevant in-depth interviews(some are in the appendix). Then we will start implementing the advocacy and campaignstrategies would include:1 Press releases, news bulletins, alerts, etc.2 Collaboration with the media for publicity campaigns. Circulation of leaflets on thisproject report, tucked inside the pages of different newspapers for circulation.3 Asking relevant and topical questions (such as the ones below) on posters and bannersin strategic locations under IAP sponsorship logo:(i) Our public primary schools are still in shambles: Government Act Now!!!(ii) Future Nigerians will be more of illiterates. Why? Primary school education isnow comatose and government is aloof.(iii) Decay, neglect and scam now confront education in Nigeria. Clarion call toGovernment4 Collaboration, partnership and networking with other civil society organisationsespecially those under TAP funding, human rights groups, etc to use this report in theirreleases and programmes.5 Lobby activities with our contact groups at the National Assembly and State houses ofAssembly for advocacy and communication.6 Reports will be sent to foreign missions and embassies in Nigeria.7 Scheduled quarterly press briefing on the report and its advocacy campaign programmeto make it fresh in public mind.8 Advocacy issues will also include:(i) How to set up a mentoring programme for the teachers on good behaviour asagainst absenteeism behaviour(ii) Motivation for teachers as in better habitable facilities and structures.Government must do away with dilapidated structures, as not everything ismoney (salary) as incentive(iii) Mainstreaming the communities and civil society organizations into educationmonitoring, supervision and control.(iv) Promotion of village-square assembly to uplift the standards of education as wellas the schools’ physical facilities and structures.40

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APPENDIX IOn the rate of absenteeism, we recorded 124 absences (tables 1 & 3 show 75 teachers on 88absences and 25 head teachers on 36 absences) within the 2½ months {October-December, 2009that the study survey covered (i.e. one week coverage for each group of 19 schools)}, brokendown into:1. Methodist primary school, Orile road, Tabon-Tabon, Orile-Agege: 4 absences by 2 teachers2. Saint Georges primary school, Church Bus-stop, Command road, Ipaja: 3 absences by oneteacher3. Answar-Uddeen primary school, Km 13, Badagry Expressway, Abule-Ado Bus-stop: 2absences by the Head teacher4. Anglican primary school, 12 Kayode Street, M/B Apapa, behind Federal Fire Service M/BApapa: 2 absences by 2 teachers.5. Local government authority primary school, Lagos-Badagry expressway, Ibereko (rural area):6 absences by 5 teachers including the Head teacher.6. Army children primary school, LASU road, Oke Oyingbo, Epe: 2 absences by two teachers7. Archbishop Taylor memorial primary school, Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island:one absence by one teacher.8. All Saints primary school, Iju water works road, near Iju motor-garage: 5 absences by 5teachers, including the Head teacher.9. African bethel primary school, Ota-Ona junction, Ikorodu: 6 absences by 4 teachers, includingthe Head teacher10. Anthony model primary school, 12 Omojola Street, Ajao estate, Anthony: 2 absences by oneHead teacher11. Central primary school, off Oyetayo Street, Oshodi: one absence by the Head teacher12. Adisa Bashua primary school, 34 Adisa Bashua Street, Surulere: one absence by a femaleteacher on maternity13. Ire-Akari primary school I, 4 Adekunle Deen close, Sari-Iganmu: 2 absences, including theHead teacher14. Ishefun community primary school, Ishefun-Olorunda, Ayobo (rural area): 3 absences,including the Head teacher15. Methodist primary school, Owode road, Sawa-Badagry: one absence by the Head teacher.16. Adebule primary school, Olufeko close/Femi Adebule street, Bariga: 2 absences by 2teachers17. Enitan primary school, Enitan street opposite Aguda modern market, Aguda Surulere: 3absences by 3 teachers including the head teacher.18. Ore-Ofe primary school, 140/148 Isolo road, Egbe: 2 absences by 2 teachers including theHead teacher19. Agbeke primary school, 117 Alaba street, Ejigbo: 3 absences by 2 teachers including the46

Head teacher20. Ijegun community primary school, Ijegun-LASU Bus-stop: 3 absences by 3 teachersincluding the Head teacher21. Oladipupo primary school I, 17 Iganmu road, Amukoko: one absence by the Head teacher.22. Local government primary school, Igando/Ikotun road, Igando: 7 absences by 5 teachersincluding the Head teacher23. Answar-Uddeen primary school, Ipakodo road, Igbogbo: 2 absences by 2 teachers includingthe Head teacher24. Anglican primary school, Oke Oyingbo street, Ijede: one absence one teacher25. Farm Settlement community primary school, Sagamu road, Odogunyan: 7 absences by 6teachers including the Head teacher26. Cherubim & Seraphim primary school, Idi-roko, Majidun (rural area): 6 absences by 4teachers including the Head teacher27. Roman Catholic Mission primary school, Oke-Ejinrin, Ejinrin (rural area): one absence by theHead teacher28. United African Church Central primary school, 34/36 Bankole street, Isheri-Oke: 3 absencesby 2 teachers including the Head teacher29. Army Children school, Dodan Barracks, Obalende: one absence by one teacher30. Saint John Anglican primary school, 31 Ayayo road, Imota (rural area): 2 absences by 2teachers31. Victoria Island primary school, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island: 2 absences by 2teachers.32. Obele primary school, 122/124 Itire road, Lawanson, Surulere: 4 absences by 4 teachersincluding the Head teacher.33. Answar-Uddeen primary school, 20/22 Sanusi Olusi-Oke Arin, Lagos: 3 absences by 3teachers34. Roman Catholic Mission Central school, 1-5 Ijebu street, Lekki: one absence by one teacher35. African Church primary school, 157 Ipaja road, Mosan: 5 absences by 5 teachers includingthe Head teacher.36. Ojodu primary school I, Aina street off Isheri road, Ojodu: 7 absences by 6 teachersincluding the Head teacher37. Agbado Ijaiye primary school, 14 Taiwo street, Alakasi Ojokoro: 8 absences by 6 teachersincluding the Head teacher.38. Lagos State model Nursery & primary school, Howson Wright estate, Olusosun: 2 absencesby the Head teacher39. Akoka primary school, 1 Saint Finbarrs road, Akoka-Yaba: one absence by one teacher40. Anu-Oluwapo primary school, Old Otta road, Oke-Odo: 2 absences by one teacher41. Iju-station primary school, Iju-station Bus-stop, Iju: 4 absences by 3 teachers including theHead teacher.47

APPENDIX IIIAP was able to obtain already available secondary data that compares facilities in publicschools with those in private schools, as follows:Absenteeism At primary school level, teacher absenteeism was found to be highest ingovernment schools: 8.2% of the government teachers were absent, compared to 1% in privateschools; teachers were also teaching far less in government than private schools: In only 67% ofgovernment schools was the teacher teaching, compared to 88% in the private schools. Twentyfivepercent of the teachers in the class visited in the government schools were carrying out anon-teaching activity when they were supposed to be teaching their classTape recorders available for teaching: The majority of schools did not have tape recorders availablein any school type—ranging from 2% to 31% in public schools and private schools. Only threepublic schools had a tape recorder compared to 31% in private schools had tape recorders.Fans: 12% of public school classrooms had fans, compared with 63% private schools.Computers for children’s use: Almost three quarters of the private schools had one or morecomputers for the use of their students. Only 3% of government schools had a computer fortheir pupils.Electricity: Only one quarter of public schools had electric lights in their classrooms, comparedto 87% of the private schools.Television and video: The majority of schools do not have a television or video player available.No public schools had a television or a video player. Just over one quarter of private schoolshad a television and video.48

APPENDIX IIISPECIAL INTERVIEW REPORT WITH THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATEAND HIS DEPUTY GOVERNOR Excerpt (To be incorporated into the final report)GOVERNOR BABATUNDE FASHOLA OF LAGOS STATETo cater for a total of 466,201 pupils in public primary schools, 326,171 students in the Juniorsecondary and 322,242 others in the Senior Secondary Schools with their teachers, could be avery daunting task for any state government in the country. But, we are doing our best toinvolve the private sector participation indifferent areas of education – monitoring, materials,infrastructure and other facilities.The state government's policy thrust on the sector has two segments: continuity and stability ingovernance, through free and compulsory education in primary, junior and senior secondaryschools and an amalgamation of ideals: the construction of Millennium Schools in all LocalGovernment Areas, re-engineering and refurbishment of primary schools, massiverehabilitation and maintenance of existing schools and libraries, provision of school furnitureand equipment, curriculum review and entrepreneurial training, teachers' welfareenhancement.Others include community based vocational education, eradication of moral decadence inschools, operation green and clean the environment in schools, functional scholarship scheme,self-sustaining tertiary education, free textbooks distribution and improved science laboratory.To reverse the decades of setbacks in the education sector, we have recently tasked allstakeholders in the state to take part in the rebirth of public school system, to enable indigentchildren have access to decent education and requisite skills, to fit into the manpowerrequirements of the future.To this end, a Corporate Social responsibility (CRS) award is being conferred on 153 partners ofthe 'Support Our School' initiative, which was launched by me in August 2008, in recognition oftheir contributions in the area of provision of school facilities, enhancement of school learningexperiences, human capacity development for teachers and provision of scholarships tostudents. “it is only when children of the poor are properly catered for in terms of educationthat we would guarantee our own and our children's peace of mind." With the increasingpopulation of Lagos and the attraction of its free education policy to migrants from acrossNigeria, the responsibility of catering for 1030 primary schools and 605 secondary schools hadbecome enormous for the government alone to cope with.49

That is why we reiterated the urgency for all stakeholders to collaborate with the stategovernment, because the role of schools could be deduced in the way it had prepared differentindividuals for the different roles they now play as professionals, bureaucrats, businessmen, selfemployed or employers of labour in different stations of life. "The impact of our economicunderdevelopment is felt in our schools. While there is still much work to be done, progress isalso being made. This is a journey with a clear road map, to achieve human, institutional andinfrastructural reforms, including the reversal of three decades of setback and to transform thisinto an irreversible push to prosperity and development through the rebirth of education."We are full of praises for those who responded to the state government's call, and the supportreceived for the initiative so far is inspiring. Indeed, "we have undertaken projects aimed at reorientatingour youths and children towards positive values. Some of these initiatives includethe Leadership Conference for 3000 pupils in December, Holiday Vocational Skills workshopfor students, and recently, 1,500 teachers were recruited for our secondary schools and technicalcolleges in our renewed efforts at endearing technical and vocational education to both pupilsand parents, including embarking on massive infrastructural development in most of ourschools."With over 100 interventions of various forms realised so far from the school project, we aregrateful to the various donors for their investments while we will continue to urge otherindividuals and organisations that share the vision of giving back to the society, to alsocontribute their quota.Soliciting for more assistance, Fashola noted that some of the critical areas of need included theprovision of school facilities, such as libraries, classrooms, furniture, sport equipment andschool buses. Other possible areas in which support was needed, he further explained, includedenhancement of learning experiences, human capacity development, provision of incentiveawards, scholarship and grants to students.DEPUTY GOVERNOR SARAH SOSANThe joy of any responsible government would be to discover that majority of its people key intoits vision.Like Fashola, she also expressed appreciation to all those who offered the state government ahelping hand in its quest to uplift the standard of education in public schools.Sosan, who also heads the state's Ministry of Education said: "Education, as we all know,remains the only key to national development. We implore all captains of industry, bankofficials, Non Governmental Organisations, members of religious bodies and old students whounderstand the important role of education and who share in the vision of this administration50

that every child should have access to quality education, to heed our clarion call and supportthe education sector."Sosan, drew attention to the challenges facing the education sector in the state, saying Nigeriawas well placed to catch up and pull ahead in the race to development, if only the countrycould set the educational system right. According to her, nowhere were the problems morepronounced and the search for solution more daunting than in Lagos State, which, she alsoobserved, catered for a population of 18 million people.Her words: "A significant proportion of the Lagos State population consists of indigentimmigrants from other parts of Nigeria, West Africa and the world. Our free education, freehealth and other liberal social policies continue to attract more and more Nigerians andforeigners. As we improve our public schools, many who previously struggled with school billsare quick to change over," she said.Giving a breakdown, she revealed that primary school enrolment was about 471,019, juniorsecondary - 332, 956 and 265,465 for senior secondary schools. She also gave the number ofteachers in primary schools as 16,230, junior secondary schools - 8,600, and senior secondaryschools -8,750. There are also, according to her, 1030 public primary schools; 321 for junior and312 senior secondary schools, as well as five technical colleges.Despite the daunting statistics, she admitted that current efforts to make Lagos state bettercould only be sustained and improved upon if the education system is accorded priorityattention. She said: "The vision of this administration under Governor Babatunde Fashola is theprovision of equitable, qualitative and functional education for self reliance and socio economicdevelopment. Our focal points in the last two years have included schools' rehabilitation andconstruction, enhancement of pupil's performance and learning outcomes, human capitaldevelopment, quality assurance and educational planning and management".The Deputy Governor, who noted that the introduction of any appreciable level of fees wouldkeep millions out of the school systems, said, "funding of this social imperative will comemainly from taxpayers. But we obviously cannot raise taxes in a depressed economy such asours. The issue of how to get the funds to attain and sustain the educational system that weaspire to, becomes a problem, so for now, we get some assistance from public-spiritedindividuals and corporate bodies through the 'Support Our School Initiative.The state Education Ministry's functions, as contained in the Lagos State Official Gazette No. 7Vol.34 of 22nd March 2001, include: Policy and Control of Pre-primary Education; Policy andControl of Primary, except Staff Matters, Policy, Control and Management of Secondary Schoolsexcept Staff Matters; Approval, Regulation and Monitoring of Private, Pre-Primary, Primary,51

Post-Primary, Vocational and Technical Institutions; Advisory Committee on Education, Pre-Vocational Education.Others are Technical Education, Educational Technology with emphasis on EducationalBroadcast and Audio Visual Aids, Science and Technology Education Guidance andCounselling, Schools Construction Programmes, Teacher Education, Inspection of Private andPublic Schools for quality control and educational standards, Special Education-Gifted/Talented Children and Handicapped Children, Relations with the Nigerian Union ofTeachers and similar organizations in conjunction with the Office of the Special Adviser onEducation, Monitoring of Special Education programmes, State Committee on Implementationof the National Policy on Education (6-3-3-4),Secondary Schools Boards of Governors/PTA andOther Educational Matters.CHIEF MICHEAL ADE-OJO CHAIRMAN OF TOYOTA NIGERIA (DONOR)Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, has so far donated over N50 million worth of furniture to some of theschools. His views: "the Support Our School initiative recognizes what you, as a member of asociety, contribute to that society. I am happy that the Lagos state government is givingrecognition to those who deserve it. I am happy with what is happening in the education sectorunder the administration of Mr. Babatunde Fashola".He continued: " The governor deserves every support because we can all see and feel that he isworking. Education is a very critical area for the development of any nation that will benefit allstakeholders in this country, and it deserves all the recognition and support. Without soundeducation, we are more or less condemning our future. So I call on all to make Lagos stateproud by giving more support for this project."MRS ANGELA EZECHUKWU (NGO ACTIVIST )Mrs. Angela Ezechuchukwu from Soroptimist International, a non - governmental organization(NGO) based in Lagos also commended the efforts of the Lagos State government. She said:"Education is one of our major areas of interest and our support for the school for the physicallychallenged and Estate Grammar school in terms of wheel chairs, hearing aids and other aids, isbased on the value they place in ensuring that every child deserves to be educated."Efforts bythe state government to make education free, compulsory and within the reach of every childirrespective of their financial background are commendable. For us, the reward and joy is to seethe smiles on the faces of the children. Our satisfaction is for the students to be able to move andhear and not be limited in their quest to acquire education".MRS FOLASHADE ADETIBA (EDUCATION EXPERT & NGO ACTIVIST)Mrs. Folashade Adetiba of Support Bridges Initiative (SBI) said, "it is good that the governmenthas realized that good and quality education is very important for students to realize their fullpotentials. But my advice is that, there should be proper coordination. Attention should be52

given to areas of need. It is not only physical things that should be recognized, but alsointangible things such as mentoring, counselling and training. The children themselves shouldbe made to realize the role they have to play. They should learn to maintain and appreciate thegifts that have been given to them".Also The President of the Builders Youth Forum, Pastor David Oyeleru described the initiativeas an inspiring one. He said, " the focus should not only be on infrastructure but also on otherareas such as training and motivation, because when a system is well run, infrastructure cannotlimit people. There should be a balanced view because the decay in the education sector is notonly that of infrastructure but also of the system itself”53