Teachers' Voice â Nigeria - VSO

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Nigeria is the fastest growing country in the world with a population doubling rate of 15 years.Primary schools never stood a chance to overcome this first onslaught, to begin with, and themerging of the three junior levels of secondary education with their already hugely overcrowdedbuildings proved the last straw for many of them.“All the schools I have seen are hugely overcrowded. In one record case, in a ruralschool, I saw a class of over 200 pupils of ages ranging from 11 to 21 with only oneteacher to attend to them.”(VSO education researcher)This population upsurge in primary schools has further strained teachers’ resources. Thepupil–teacher ratio is a great deal bigger in reality than the national quota of 35:1 leads us tobelieve. A head teacher of a model primary school told us that in her school “there are 35teachers to teach more than 1,300 children”.This overpopulation of classrooms and the insufficiency of school facilities lead to daily realitiesof atrocious conditions children and teachers have to endure. The impossibility to keep even asemblance of order in these conditions has led to a huge increase in the use of corporalpunishment (please see section on students and equity).6.2.4 SCHOOL FACILITIES: RECOMMENDATIONSVSO recommends the following:• SUBEBs should provide basic facilities – including drinking water, toilets (separate toilets forwomen/girls and men/boys) – and adequate electricity; telephones; computers; the internet;and libraries must be made available to all schools at the shortest possible notice so thatteachers are retained in the profession.• The FME and SUBEBs should reduce class sizes and improve on the multi-grade teachingsystem so that teachers are trained for this work environment.• SUBEBs should factor population growth in any education planning where school constructionsare concerned. Budgets for furniture and the construction of new buildings must be based onthe number of students.• The community must be encouraged to lobby for allocation of local funding towards cost ofbuilding schools and classrooms, where appropriate.• SUBEBs should ensure schools are built in appropriate places; in accordance with the needs ofthe community they serve, not based on political influence.• SUBEBs should ensure teachers are trained to handle new equipment and to teach theirstudents to use them.• SUBEBs should ensure that in rural areas sufficient funding is made available to enable themto provide quality education even though their school population may be small.40
7 STUDENTS AND EQUITY7.1 SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATIONSpecial needs is a very underdeveloped area of the Nigerian education system, with governmentinvesting only two per cent of their budget allocated to primary education into it. It is incrediblethat only two CoEs provide training in special needs education, and that many teachers traineddo not even enter this area, as special needs education is seen as more demanding.Special needs education is essentially reliant on private and voluntary/charity-based schools, thatreceive no funding or aid from the government. The scarce public special needs schools, undergovernment administration, are as overwhelmed by the conditions of teachers as ordinary primaryschools are, with the added pressure of their students’ special requirements.Although policy at international level is moving towards an inclusive education system that wouldinclude all children regardless of their class, physical or mentally ability, sex and caste etc .Special schools are still common in Nigeria and it is anticipated that inclusive education will beadopted in the new framework the government is working on.7.1.1 SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION: POLICY FRAMEWORKThe FME is currently researching this area and intends to implement a new special needsframework.7.1.2 SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION: TEACHERS’ VIEWS“There is still a huge stigma attached to having a child with special needs. Very oftenthe parents want to give their child to the centre, but the centre forces the parents toremain responsible for their child. The teachers have to teach the children everythinglike washing themselves and washing their uniform as the parents are often not aroundand too poor to care for them properly. Some children are very difficult – often lying,stealing and disruptive.“The stigma is difficult for the teachers too. It rubs off on them. Parents often say thatthey are wasting their time, which is discouraging for the teachers. There is also theproblem that nobody has ever written books for disabled children so teachers have tobreak down the material in very small pieces and adapt it to the needs of every childseparately. Teachers themselves often have to learn how to involve the children in theirteaching. And yet we get no money from the state. And very often I don’t know wherethe money is to come from to pay the teachers…”(Head teacher of a special needs centre)Teachers of special needs schools face greater demands from their students in comparison totheir mainstream counterparts. They need to use more specialised methods of teaching andrequire more specific resources and materials to harness the potential of these children. Theseteachers deserve praise and credit for their commitment in this area, but this is not reflectedin the treatment they receive from community and authorities.Teachers in private and voluntary/charity-based special needs schools are more motivated thanthose in public schools. Their working conditions and salaries reflect an appreciation for theirwork and regular training courses update their teaching methodology, knowledge and practicalskills. This reveals how good remuneration and working conditions, with regular training andsmall class sizes can motivate teachers. Some teachers from these schools were highlysatisfied and rewarded by their job.Children with special needs are still stigmatised by their parents and society due to lack ofawareness. Some teachers claim that parents do not understand the importance of educationfor their children and use the school as a minding service, rather than a place where their childcan learn. These children are often ostracised by their family and feel isolated and secluded.41
Page 1: TEACHERS’ VOICEA POLICY RESEARCH
Page 4 and 5: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSI would like to beg
Page 7: SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONSThe facto
Page 10 and 11: 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH INTO TE
Page 12 and 13: 1.4 PRACTICAL CHALLENGESStrikes in
Page 14 and 15: This enlightenment and enthusiasm i
Page 16 and 17: The consequences of this neglect ar
Page 18 and 19: 3 TERMS AND CONDITIONS“Why teache
Page 20 and 21: On top of the standard reductions f
Page 22 and 23: These days, teachers often find it
Page 24 and 25: • The NCCE should ensure that eve
Page 26 and 27: 4.1.4 RECRUITMENT, POSTING AND PROM
Page 28 and 29: “Lecturers do very little lecturi
Page 30 and 31: introductions, so we got to see wha
Page 32 and 33: 5.3.4 THE ROLE OF HEAD TEACHERS: RE
Page 34 and 35: PARTICIPATION: STAKEHOLDERS’ VIEW
Page 36 and 37: 5.6 POLICY COHERENCE AND COMMUNICAT
Page 38 and 39: The teachers highlight that due to
Page 42 and 43: Teachers assert that this is not on
Page 44 and 45: 7.3.4 DISCIPLINE OF STUDENTS: STAKE
Page 46 and 47: 8.2.2 TEACHERS’ STATUS: TEACHERS
Page 48 and 49: Teachers argue that these factors d
Page 50 and 51: MOTIVATING FACTORS continued• Cor
Page 52 and 53: Teachers identify some of the trait
Page 54 and 55: CONCLUSIONTeachers are ready for ch
Page 56 and 57: BIBLIOGRAPHYAfe, John O. (2002) "Re
Page 58 and 59: We feel one of the most important v
Page 60 and 61: APPENDIX 3 FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION S
Page 62 and 63: What makes you feel good/happy/moti
Page 64 and 65: APPENDIX 7: FORMAT FOR WRITING ANAL
Page 66 and 67: Factors highlighted by each group i
Page 68 and 69: 10 What would motivate teachers?11
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