Except there is a change of heart on the part of the Federal Government, leading to change in policy positions, hundreds of thousands of our sons and daughters due to sit for West African Senior School Certificate Examination scheduled for August to September will not do so, as a result of the government’s decision penultimate week cancelling the examination in the country for 2020 on account of the threats posed by Coronavirus pandemic.
The Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, who announced the position of the government, which was hinged on the dangers posed to the young ones by COVID-19, insisting that it was the considered view of the government that we could afford to cancel the examination for the year and continue from next year. I have appreciation of the times, the threat and the sentiment regarding the preservation of lives of the one young ones. I have children and won’t want any of them in harm’s way. This is clearly the side of man and quite understandable.
Truth is, acknowledgement of those facts does not in anyway make the decision a wise and relevant one, especially in the light of credible examples to the contrary from other countries even worse hit by the same pandemic. In most parts of Europe, schools have resumed running on prescribed safety measures. Our challenge is not full reopening of schools which also is an issue but having a negligible number out of the entire school population going to sit for an annual examination. This is the simple task for which emotions are running high and haywire.
Let’s start sequentially: no good government runs on emotion. That is why government as an institution is set up to have all the tools it requires for sound policy-making as well as the execution of such policies in the most impactful and sustainable manner. Our challenge is that our leadership class hardly think through challenges with a view to come up with germane solutions. The approach is neither scientific, data driven nor systematic; it is all emotion, many times drawing on fears or motive to gain undue advantage. Yes, there is money angle to this too, over N1 billion has gone in as exam fees. Nevertheless, all of what I mentioned constitute the things wrong with this policy position.
When the pandemic became a real threat serious countries left the realm of fear, especially one following victim numbers and began implementing sustainable preventative measures and cure, but we got stuck with scare- mongering and reeling of figures. As you read this we are not through with it. The victim figures is on the increase but no cheering news on solution, not even on ways to enforce preventive measures. We have failed and this is part of the reason some support cancellation of the exam in the country this year. A ride on fear! The question is: what if COVID-19 continues for the next three years, do we simply close shop? It is stunning to observe that as the virus ravaged the earth only the Black world stood akimbo wondering what their fate could be. Not one initiative came from this side of humanity and yet when other countries are leading the way throwing up examples, our reaction has been lethargic. Schools have reopened elsewhere including in Africa. The exam in question would have other countries participating. What is it they will do which we can’t do?
Schools can remain closed for some time, given our usual lack of competence that makes sense but stopping an insignificant number of the student population from participating in a crucial exam on account of fear over COVID-19 at this stage where many countries worse hit have reopened schools and engaged in full academic studies can’t be a right policy decision. The number involved is manageable. Those in boarding houses definitely will have the whole hostel accommodation to themselves. All one envisages would be required is to get officials of institutions and exam locations to prepare to implement all preventive measures.
Some of us have seen schools in South Africa, where we see the students wear protective gear and school authorities ensuring social distancing requirement. It is just that we don’t think over challenges as I already observed otherwise nothing prevents the government bankrolling free COVID-19 test for a all students and officials who will have one thing or another to do with the exams. We don’t run with statistics, if we do we would have seen very clearly that the cost of cancellation is very enormous. Disrupting family plans alone is terrible. The trauma of disruption in the life of the young one is unquantifiable. Increase in victim figures is stigmatising us already, this will add to it. What we rub the salt into injury would be the fact that we could not handle what obviously is manageable. I implore the government to rescind the decision and allow our students to sit for their papers. All that is required of us is high level enforcement of preventive measures.
It is important to use this opportunity to restate that our leaders are yet to value education and its role in quick development of a backward society like ours. In Abia State, I don’t know about other states, when insecurity was very high and accommodation was being sought for soldiers, guess where they found some: secondary schools. Today as you read this, students of Ngwa High School, Aba, share environment with soldiers. Asa High School in Ukwa West Local Government Area has been converted fully to a military barracks. You look at such measures and you wonder if our leaders know the important place of education at all. Curriculum is a different matter. Talk with a university graduate today he can’t offer sound intellectual suggestions on how to develop his society, everything to him is money, music and enjoyment. I blame the leaders. I remember when Prof Jubril Aminu as Minister of Education instigated the then military regime to sack lecturers for teaching what they were not paid to teach. Let’s allow those due for WASSCE to sit, but let us spend money and deploy officials to offer them protection. It is a task that can be done with excellence.