Encomium
Over the years, Nigeria has recorded poor performance of students that sat for West African Senior School Certificate Examination. More students seem to fail English and Mathematics. For example, in the 2015 examinations, less than 45 percent of student who sat for the examination passed with credit. ENCOMIUM Weekly spoke with teachers, principals and parents on why students fail WASSCE.
Teachers
OMOLARA KINGSLEY
What do you think is responsible for mass failure in WASSCE?
My own take on mass failure in WASSCE is that most of the teachers in secondary school, are not qualified and students these days are too money conscious .The students don’t take out time to read these days.
What is the way out?
Teachers need to be trained and checked in the classroom. Also, students should be ready to go extra mile in learning and reading new things. Teachers who specialise in Maths and English should go out of their way to teach and make sure the students understand what is being taught and how questions should be answered.
Why is it that students fail Mathematics and English more than other subjects?
Qualified teachers in those subjects are not there and the available teachers may teach these core subjects with unseriousness.
AKWUAGO OLUSOLA
What do you think is responsible for mass failure in WASSCE?
Students are not serious with their academics. They always look for the easy way out. They are ignorant of the fact that, they are responsible for their education and not their parents. There are too much distractions such as phones, iPads, laptops, too much involvement in social media such as Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, etc, lack of qualified teaching personnel and in some cases, the total absence of teaching staff.
What is the way out?
In order to reduce mass failure, government must ensure that all schools have sufficient qualified teaching staff. Parents should be more involved in raising their children so as to guide them aright and instill virtues in them. Children should be restricted from too much of social media.
Why is it that students fail Mathematics and English more than other subjects?
English and Mathematics are two subjects which need to be learnt very early. Where the foundation is not strong enough, it may be difficult for them to pick up. Also, they are subjects that need thorough tutoring before progress can be achieved unlike other subjects where you can easily read up yourself and still pass. This is, however, not so for these two subjects.
ADETOUN ADESANYA
What do you think is responsible for mass failure in WASSCE?
Students’ laziness. They depend on their teachers for answers. Parents willingness to pay for special centres where answers will be given to them.
Private schools that want excellent results bribe invigilators and encourage exam malpractices. They believe that money can be made from anywhere so, no need to work hard, hence, no preparation for exams.
What is the way out?
Parents need to encourage hard work in their kids. Teachers need to stick to their profession and not conduct exam malpractices.
The mass media, schools and religious organizations should educate young people on the danger of cheating as anything gotten from cheating doesn’t last. Exceptionally hardworking students can also be given scholarships to motivate others.
Why is it that students fail Mathematics and English more than other subjects?
They are core subjects so, they have voluminous syllabi. Therefore, students feel they can read for their exams the same way they read for other subjects. It requires more preparation.
SEGUN AGBABIAKA
What do you think is responsible for mass failure in WASSCE?
Some schools don’t have qualified teachers. Those that have don’t motivate their teachers. I will also say that, students are not serious as well. Some parent don’t monitor the academic progress of their children. They only care about paying their children’s school fees, they believe the teacher will do the remaining work.
What is the way out?
Students should be encouraged to study well. Teachers should be motivated . School owners should take the welfare of their teachers serious. Orientation and re- orientation should be organised for school authorities and school owners on how to eradicate mass failure.
Why is it that students fail Mathematics and English more than other subjects?
Students fail Mathematics because most of them believe they can never know it. Some believe, it is too late to know it. Some don’t show interest in the subject at all. Students fail English because they never learn the rudiments and technicalities of English Language.
Principals
JOHNSON OLADEJO
What do you think is responsible for mass failure in WASSCE?
80 percent blame goes to the students. A lot of them are not serious. A lot of students don’t read again. They are carried away by the social media.
They should be advised and monitored by their parents, for those coming from home. I know some parents who will not give their children a phone till they finish secondary school.
What is the way out?
Parents should inculcate reading habit into their children. Students should learn to make reading an habit. Parents should check on their children, monitor their progress.
Most students don’t like Maths. We need to help students love and understand Mathematics from childhood. Math is the only subject that has steps. Once you follow the steps, you will arrive at your answer.
Why is it that students fail Mathematics and English more than other subjects?
Findings revealed that the female child performs better than their male counterparts in Mathematics. They concentrate more on their studies than the male children. We should encourage students to take part in Mathematics competition.
- SEUN AINA
What do you think is responsible for mass failure in WASSCE?
Most students are not serious. They don’t want to read. Some teachers are also corrupt, they encourage their students to cheat in exams. Some students lack parental support and encouragement too. Access to the internet has made students lazy.
What is the way out?
Motivate students as a teacher. Parents should also motivate their children too. We award best students in each subject during the school graduation ceremony as a way of motivating them to perform better.
Why is it that students fail Mathematics and English more than other subjects?
They believe they are the most difficult subjects. I encourage them. I too have a story to tell about Mathematics. I used to hate the subject until I repeated. That was when I started taking it serious. Now, I teach Mathematics.
Parents
MRS. BISOLA ONOJA
What do you think is responsible for mass failure in WASSCE?
Most schools are after money. Just to collect their school fees. I have taught in a secondary where a class had 70 students. How will a teacher monitor the students he is teaching in such atmosphere.
Some parents too don’t check their children’s books at home. They don’t encourage them, interact with them to know how they are faring in school.
What is the way out?
Students should be encouraged to study well. This responsibility rests on the parents. I know they need to pursue money but, they should devote time for their kids welfare. Schools should know the number of students they can adequately cater for, not just admitting students anyhow. There shouldn’t be more than 20 students in a class. With that, teachers will be able to monitor each student when they are teaching.
Why is it that students fail Mathematics and English more than other subjects?
It is their orientation. A lot of students believe Mathematics is a no go area. Both schools and parents should change their children’s orientation about Maths and English.
- OLAIFA
What do you think is responsible for mass failure in WASSCE?
Unseriousness on the part of students and parents. You will see a 13year old student using an iPhone. Such will even bring the phone to school. How will that one concentrate at school? Students need to be serious. I doubt it if they still wake up in the night to read.
What is the way out?
Students need to be serious. They need to spend time with their studies than on social media. You are in secondary school, what business do you have with the social media. You don’t need it. If at all they will use the internet, use it for something that will benefit your academics.
Why is it that students fail Mathematics and English more than other subjects?
Most students have phobia for the two subjects. Just a little more concentration and additional coaching will make a lot of difference.
MRS. NGOZI CHIKA
What do you think is responsible for mass failure in WASSCE?
I will blame parents, students and school authorities. There are parents who register their children at special centres where they will be allowed to cheat. Some schools do it as well. They pay invigilators so that, the students could cheat.
What is the way out?
Parents should encourage their children to read on their own. They can pay for extra lessons for them.
Why is it that students fail Mathematics and English more than other subjects?
It is just their belief. Once they fail either Mathematics or English, they believe they cannot pass that subject again. Most students go to special centres because of English and Mathematics.
– SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN
