The much talked about free and functional education in Rivers State appears to have nose-dived as teachers, students and pupils struggle for space in the dusty floor of most schools in the state.
An independent investigation by our reporters revealed that the development has demoralized teaching and learning in the school system.
In a particular school, the RSG instruction to collect only N1,000 administrative fees and N500 mock exam fee respectively, was disregarded as the individual schools collect various and indiscriminate levies as it suits them.
Some of the principals interviewed did not border, saying that since they lack teaching facilities and without imprest to run the schools, they are at liberty to use what they have to get what they want, if the school must go on.
At the Nkpolu Community School, Port Harcourt, it was a mixed grill. While the indigenes enjoyed the newly built schools with facilities and clean environment, the unlucky teachers and the non-indigenes were drafted to the waterlogged PHALGA Women Development Centre near the Mile 3, Market.
The pupils and their teachers sat on the floor. The day they were drafted to the unconducive atmosphere it was a general cry as if they were condemned to death. Some of the teachers interviewed said they have resigned to their fate.
“What is our own as long as my salary is not disturbed,” a teacher said
With this kind of lackadaisical attitude only God knows what will be impacted to the future generation” one if the market woman by the gate of the school, echoed.
In another development, Principals have called on the RSG to find a lasting solution to the shortage of teachers in the school system by employing qualified teachers for especially the core subjects, instead of the short term measure of paying allowance to Youth Corpers for the purpose, as they might not be competent enough in most cases to handle such subjects.
According to the principals who spoke under cover, in other cases, these corpers do not like their village postings so they just roam about while the students bear the brunt, as they would obviously rely on mercenaries to write their exams to the detriment of the nation. ###
Tobin Alakpaka
