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| Mrs Bello |
UBE cause of collapse in public schools-
Proprietress
Proprietress
Mrs
Chibuzo Ori Bello is the proprietress of Lagacy Crest Global Schools,
Nasarawa. In this interview with UJI ABDULLAHI ILIYASU, she talks about her
passion for education and sundry issues in education sector.
Chibuzo Ori Bello is the proprietress of Lagacy Crest Global Schools,
Nasarawa. In this interview with UJI ABDULLAHI ILIYASU, she talks about her
passion for education and sundry issues in education sector.
How did you become an educationist?
After
I completed my education, my father who was one of the African miners in Jos,
asked me what I wanted to become. I told
him that I wanted to become either a secretary or an air hostess. That was around five o’clock in the
morning. He then asked me to go back to
bed. After some days, I was invited for
an interview by the SIM (now ECWA) missionaries in those days. After the
interview, they gave me a letter of appointment and sent me to Kano.
I completed my education, my father who was one of the African miners in Jos,
asked me what I wanted to become. I told
him that I wanted to become either a secretary or an air hostess. That was around five o’clock in the
morning. He then asked me to go back to
bed. After some days, I was invited for
an interview by the SIM (now ECWA) missionaries in those days. After the
interview, they gave me a letter of appointment and sent me to Kano.
I
travelled with my mother in SIM plane.
On getting to the Guest House, a white woman who came rejected me but I
didn’t know. They only told us to go back to headquarters in Jos.
travelled with my mother in SIM plane.
On getting to the Guest House, a white woman who came rejected me but I
didn’t know. They only told us to go back to headquarters in Jos.
In Jos, I was told that the woman rejected me
because I was not a trained teacher. So they eventually sent me to Kufana in
Kaduna state where I stayed with a Nigerian head mistress for two years; that
was in the early 1970’s. When my salary was paid, it was very small so when I
asked why I was told that it was because I was not a trained teacher. I grew annoyed within myself. I then applied to WTC Enugu and WTC Kaduna.
Both offered me admission. Being conversant with the North, I chose Kaduna.
Unfortunately, it was the era of indigenisation. I was there from January to March and nothing
happened. We wanted to make our uniforms and pay school fees but they asked us
to wait not knowing that they would not take us.
because I was not a trained teacher. So they eventually sent me to Kufana in
Kaduna state where I stayed with a Nigerian head mistress for two years; that
was in the early 1970’s. When my salary was paid, it was very small so when I
asked why I was told that it was because I was not a trained teacher. I grew annoyed within myself. I then applied to WTC Enugu and WTC Kaduna.
Both offered me admission. Being conversant with the North, I chose Kaduna.
Unfortunately, it was the era of indigenisation. I was there from January to March and nothing
happened. We wanted to make our uniforms and pay school fees but they asked us
to wait not knowing that they would not take us.
In March, they asked us who were not Kaduna
indigenes to leave. So I boarded a train to Enugu. WTC Enugu admitted me through a telegram, so
I went and presented my telegram. And I
started my pivotal training and finished after two years. I made all my papers and went back to Jos.
In Jos, I was called for an interview and I came out successful and posted to
Miango, Bassa local government education
authority where I taught for some years.
From here I got admission to National Technical College, Gombe (now
Federal College of Education, (Technical), Gombe. There were only two of such schools in
Nigeria by then. There I underwent three years of training. The school was
affiliated to ABU Zaria. I sought and got admission to ABU for further studies
at the Department of Technical and Vocational Studies, Accounting Major, because
I read Accounting at advanced teachers college Gombe. In 1981, I graduated from ABU and went back to Gombe and got married. I
was appointed to one of the schools in Gombe as a teacher. After sometimes, My
husband and I went to overseas. Back from overseas, we returned to Gombe where
I continued teaching. From Gombe, my husband got appointment in 1983 as a pioneer staff of the Federal Polytechnic,
Nasarawa.
indigenes to leave. So I boarded a train to Enugu. WTC Enugu admitted me through a telegram, so
I went and presented my telegram. And I
started my pivotal training and finished after two years. I made all my papers and went back to Jos.
In Jos, I was called for an interview and I came out successful and posted to
Miango, Bassa local government education
authority where I taught for some years.
From here I got admission to National Technical College, Gombe (now
Federal College of Education, (Technical), Gombe. There were only two of such schools in
Nigeria by then. There I underwent three years of training. The school was
affiliated to ABU Zaria. I sought and got admission to ABU for further studies
at the Department of Technical and Vocational Studies, Accounting Major, because
I read Accounting at advanced teachers college Gombe. In 1981, I graduated from ABU and went back to Gombe and got married. I
was appointed to one of the schools in Gombe as a teacher. After sometimes, My
husband and I went to overseas. Back from overseas, we returned to Gombe where
I continued teaching. From Gombe, my husband got appointment in 1983 as a pioneer staff of the Federal Polytechnic,
Nasarawa.
I
joined him in 1984. I worked until I retired in May 2016. My husband died in
March 2016. After teaching for so many years, I developed interest in children.
In September 1985, former chairman, late Alhaji Tanko directed me to open the
Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa Staff School after going through my files and saw my CV. I spent
16 years in the school. They promised me that I would get my promotion and I
should continue to write papers, but when subsequent rectors came, they did not
look at that so I left the school in annoyance. But God knows why. In 2000, I came back to Accountancy
department. I went back to training and
became a professional accountant. I then went to College of Accountancy in
Jos. After graduation, I came back to my
department fully. I was made Head of Department (HOD) Accountancy. That was before my retirement. The polytechnic later gave me scholarship
under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) so I went to the University
of Agriculture, Makurdi, where I graduated with MSc degree before I
retired.
joined him in 1984. I worked until I retired in May 2016. My husband died in
March 2016. After teaching for so many years, I developed interest in children.
In September 1985, former chairman, late Alhaji Tanko directed me to open the
Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa Staff School after going through my files and saw my CV. I spent
16 years in the school. They promised me that I would get my promotion and I
should continue to write papers, but when subsequent rectors came, they did not
look at that so I left the school in annoyance. But God knows why. In 2000, I came back to Accountancy
department. I went back to training and
became a professional accountant. I then went to College of Accountancy in
Jos. After graduation, I came back to my
department fully. I was made Head of Department (HOD) Accountancy. That was before my retirement. The polytechnic later gave me scholarship
under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) so I went to the University
of Agriculture, Makurdi, where I graduated with MSc degree before I
retired.
In
September 2013, I opened Legacy Crest Global Schools, Nigeria. We have classes from crèche, nursery and
primary. We are now in JSS Three. Our students will take their first basic
examination this 2019/2020 school year.
September 2013, I opened Legacy Crest Global Schools, Nigeria. We have classes from crèche, nursery and
primary. We are now in JSS Three. Our students will take their first basic
examination this 2019/2020 school year.
How did you get the name Legacy?
In
my life, I discovered that what you can leave for your children and your
children’s children is education legacy. This day you don’t leave houses or
millions for your children. But you can
teach them how to catch fish instead of giving them fish to eat. Education
legacy is the highest you can leave for a child now. Gone were the days when parents left houses
and other physical assets for their children.
Education asset is personal because no one can use your certificate.
my life, I discovered that what you can leave for your children and your
children’s children is education legacy. This day you don’t leave houses or
millions for your children. But you can
teach them how to catch fish instead of giving them fish to eat. Education
legacy is the highest you can leave for a child now. Gone were the days when parents left houses
and other physical assets for their children.
Education asset is personal because no one can use your certificate.
Does opening a school in Nasarawa means giving back
to the North what it had given you?
to the North what it had given you?
I
was born and bred in Jos. My father married his wife and brought her to Jos.
After our Primary Seven, my father told us to go back to our home state to know
more about it. Unfortunately the war came. I did my secondary school in the
South. After the war we came back. I was
in Form Three when the war started in 1967 after crises broke out in 1966. When
the war started my parents went back to the East. We are lucky that we survived
the war.
was born and bred in Jos. My father married his wife and brought her to Jos.
After our Primary Seven, my father told us to go back to our home state to know
more about it. Unfortunately the war came. I did my secondary school in the
South. After the war we came back. I was
in Form Three when the war started in 1967 after crises broke out in 1966. When
the war started my parents went back to the East. We are lucky that we survived
the war.
I
am advising Nigerians that it is better we stay together because war is not
something you will pray to happen the second time. So I am now giving back to the community what
I got from them. My entire gratuity from
the pension administrators was used in building this school’s examination hall.
I did not take one naira from it. We
have to think what we can do for the community in which we live.
am advising Nigerians that it is better we stay together because war is not
something you will pray to happen the second time. So I am now giving back to the community what
I got from them. My entire gratuity from
the pension administrators was used in building this school’s examination hall.
I did not take one naira from it. We
have to think what we can do for the community in which we live.
Nasarawa
has been one of the most peaceful places in Nigeria. I live here for almost 40 years. About two
weeks ago I have to fix the road leading to my school all alone. Thank God that
recently residents along the road had volunteered to support me.
has been one of the most peaceful places in Nigeria. I live here for almost 40 years. About two
weeks ago I have to fix the road leading to my school all alone. Thank God that
recently residents along the road had volunteered to support me.
How do you compare education now and in the past?
Education
in public sector was then better than what obtains now. In public schools now children do not even
have chairs to sit on. In fact, a public
school close to my school has been turned to a toilet, especially during the
long vacation. No doors no windows there. People who live by the school go
there to defecate at night. We don’t see
such thing in those days. And the way
teachers are being handled shows that government is no longer serious with the
issue of education. In the past, governments were more involved and committed to
education than now. The quality of education began to nose dive when the
federal government introduced the Universal Basic Education (UBE). A child will fail in the current school year
but he will be allowed to proceed to the next class. In those days with the system of weak pass
and fail, a child who failed a class would be asked to repeat. If you have weak
pass you could be allowed to proceed but they would monitor your progress. And if you finally failed you would repeat the
class. If a parent complained he would be asked to remove his child or ward.
But we just woke up one day and the government told the children who failed
their examinations to proceed. By doing
this, the child will continue to fail until he fails out of primary school. In
secondary school he continues to fail until someone writes SSCE for him. In the
university he cannot cope and became a nuisance to the society. I taught in a
higher institution and I am talking from experience. This is what we will
continue to battle with. It is not good for Nigeria.
in public sector was then better than what obtains now. In public schools now children do not even
have chairs to sit on. In fact, a public
school close to my school has been turned to a toilet, especially during the
long vacation. No doors no windows there. People who live by the school go
there to defecate at night. We don’t see
such thing in those days. And the way
teachers are being handled shows that government is no longer serious with the
issue of education. In the past, governments were more involved and committed to
education than now. The quality of education began to nose dive when the
federal government introduced the Universal Basic Education (UBE). A child will fail in the current school year
but he will be allowed to proceed to the next class. In those days with the system of weak pass
and fail, a child who failed a class would be asked to repeat. If you have weak
pass you could be allowed to proceed but they would monitor your progress. And if you finally failed you would repeat the
class. If a parent complained he would be asked to remove his child or ward.
But we just woke up one day and the government told the children who failed
their examinations to proceed. By doing
this, the child will continue to fail until he fails out of primary school. In
secondary school he continues to fail until someone writes SSCE for him. In the
university he cannot cope and became a nuisance to the society. I taught in a
higher institution and I am talking from experience. This is what we will
continue to battle with. It is not good for Nigeria.
In
schools now, parents come and beg for the promotion of their children to the
next class with excuses bordering on the child’s maturity, especially female
children. I always advise parents that age and intelligent quotient are not the
same. Some removed their children from Nursery Three and enrolled them in
Primary Two. Now most schools are no longer having Primary Six. Parents should
think of the basic foundation their children are getting but not money they pay. Government should not play politics with
education. They should appoint those who
are qualified to teach in schools instead of appointing teachers based on
political affiliation or connection, which sacrifices merit and
professionalism. Teachers deal with lives
but not files. What a teacher inculcates in a child will remain there. So I think government is supposed to do
more. Maybe it is failing because the
school enrollment is higher than in the past due to population growth.
schools now, parents come and beg for the promotion of their children to the
next class with excuses bordering on the child’s maturity, especially female
children. I always advise parents that age and intelligent quotient are not the
same. Some removed their children from Nursery Three and enrolled them in
Primary Two. Now most schools are no longer having Primary Six. Parents should
think of the basic foundation their children are getting but not money they pay. Government should not play politics with
education. They should appoint those who
are qualified to teach in schools instead of appointing teachers based on
political affiliation or connection, which sacrifices merit and
professionalism. Teachers deal with lives
but not files. What a teacher inculcates in a child will remain there. So I think government is supposed to do
more. Maybe it is failing because the
school enrollment is higher than in the past due to population growth.
Will public schools function if public officeholders
are barred from sending their children to schools outside the country?
are barred from sending their children to schools outside the country?
My
opinion is that we should not forget our Creator whether we are Muslims,
Christians or pagans or whatever because our Creator has a way of filling the
gap. If you have the means to send your children abroad so allow public education
sector to collapse, you are just
postponing the evil days. Nemesis will
catch up with you. Children of those saboteurs usually turn out to be
criminals. Though there is no law now to
stop them. Poor children outdo their rich counterparts both in character and
academic. I used myself as an example. My husband and I agreed that our
children do their schools in Nigeria even for first degree.
opinion is that we should not forget our Creator whether we are Muslims,
Christians or pagans or whatever because our Creator has a way of filling the
gap. If you have the means to send your children abroad so allow public education
sector to collapse, you are just
postponing the evil days. Nemesis will
catch up with you. Children of those saboteurs usually turn out to be
criminals. Though there is no law now to
stop them. Poor children outdo their rich counterparts both in character and
academic. I used myself as an example. My husband and I agreed that our
children do their schools in Nigeria even for first degree.
I
tutored my last child here and sent him to Abuja to test the ability of my
school and he excelled. A time will come
when few people will think of sending their children abroad. In the 1980’s when
I visited my husband abroad, naira was stronger than the dollar.
tutored my last child here and sent him to Abuja to test the ability of my
school and he excelled. A time will come
when few people will think of sending their children abroad. In the 1980’s when
I visited my husband abroad, naira was stronger than the dollar.
I
can allow my children to go to school but not where they can neither read nor
write. School is like the home, you
don’t have to wait for your husband before taking your sick child to hospital
or before you eat if you are hungry. Buy the food and eat. If your husband comes he will offset the
costs. If the home as an agent of
education is scattered Nigeria cannot be OK.
can allow my children to go to school but not where they can neither read nor
write. School is like the home, you
don’t have to wait for your husband before taking your sick child to hospital
or before you eat if you are hungry. Buy the food and eat. If your husband comes he will offset the
costs. If the home as an agent of
education is scattered Nigeria cannot be OK.
What challenges do private school owners face and want
the government to help out?
the government to help out?
We
want government to recognise us by giving us grants. We are paying taxes. Many
students here are on my scholarship. I picked one boy from a business centre.
His father ran into problem and he could no longer cope with is education.
Fortunately the boy’s father was my former student. We also give free textbooks and uniforms to
indigent students free of charge. This is my contribution to humanity.
want government to recognise us by giving us grants. We are paying taxes. Many
students here are on my scholarship. I picked one boy from a business centre.
His father ran into problem and he could no longer cope with is education.
Fortunately the boy’s father was my former student. We also give free textbooks and uniforms to
indigent students free of charge. This is my contribution to humanity.