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| Mr Ilezue |
I will never allow my child to go to polytechnic
–Principal
–Principal
Mr
Chukwuma Ilezue, a chartered accountant and an educationist, is the principal
of Destiny Kings/Queens Model College, Nasarawa. In an interview with UJI
ABDULLAHI ILIYASU on the occasion of Independence Day, he talks about education
in the past, the declining education quality and how his school is giving back
to the community in terms of quality education and moral character.
Chukwuma Ilezue, a chartered accountant and an educationist, is the principal
of Destiny Kings/Queens Model College, Nasarawa. In an interview with UJI
ABDULLAHI ILIYASU on the occasion of Independence Day, he talks about education
in the past, the declining education quality and how his school is giving back
to the community in terms of quality education and moral character.
How do you see education now and in the past?
The
quality of education at present seems to be on the decline. In the past we were
not aware of any examination malpractice in the external examinations. We sat
for our school certificate examinations by ourselves. There was no way someone
would sit for exam for you in the Basic Education Certificate Examinations
(BECE) or Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE). But now students’ minds are already set that
once it is external examination, it is going to be written for them. At Destiny Kings/Queens, we have made concerted
efforts to see that our students are able to sit for both internal and external
examinations and pass creditably on their own terms. At Destiny Kings/Queens,
teachers and management staff are able to put their heads together to make sure
that students excel in both BECE and SSCE on their own.
quality of education at present seems to be on the decline. In the past we were
not aware of any examination malpractice in the external examinations. We sat
for our school certificate examinations by ourselves. There was no way someone
would sit for exam for you in the Basic Education Certificate Examinations
(BECE) or Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE). But now students’ minds are already set that
once it is external examination, it is going to be written for them. At Destiny Kings/Queens, we have made concerted
efforts to see that our students are able to sit for both internal and external
examinations and pass creditably on their own terms. At Destiny Kings/Queens,
teachers and management staff are able to put their heads together to make sure
that students excel in both BECE and SSCE on their own.
Why there has been emphasis on private schools in
the country unlike in the past?
the country unlike in the past?
I
can confidently respond to this question because I, myself, am a product of
public school. In the past there was academic discipline in public schools. In
secondary schools, principals made sure that lessons in the classrooms went
uninterrupted. Truancy on teachers’ or students’ part was not condoned. But in
public schools today lesson sessions go without lessons and no one holds anyone
responsible. Many sentiments played
against our public schools at present.
Private schools which are businesslike in character exploit the
loopholes found in public schools. Now they are attracting more pupils and
parents to them because their education is strengthened. In public schools you often see teachers
chatting leisurely in groups during lessons.
Pupils go to school in the morning and leave during breaks and no one
penalises them. The premises of public schools are not even secure. But at Destiny Kings/Queens, we ensure that
students take their lessons and abide by all school rules and regulations. We
ensure total control of the school in terms of academic activities and
character control. Public schools have
failed to some extent. Teachers are given teaching jobs in public schools based
on who they know. But here we take
teachers based on merit. We have a
continuous monitoring system here, which means after employing a teacher, we
still monitor him in all school activities.
Every day, before a teacher goes to the class, we will ascertain the
extent of his work and still go to the class to monitor what he delivers to the
children, so efficiency is ensured. But
in public schools, it is a case of I put my brother or sister there whether he is
efficient or not. These are parts of the
challenges in government schools.
can confidently respond to this question because I, myself, am a product of
public school. In the past there was academic discipline in public schools. In
secondary schools, principals made sure that lessons in the classrooms went
uninterrupted. Truancy on teachers’ or students’ part was not condoned. But in
public schools today lesson sessions go without lessons and no one holds anyone
responsible. Many sentiments played
against our public schools at present.
Private schools which are businesslike in character exploit the
loopholes found in public schools. Now they are attracting more pupils and
parents to them because their education is strengthened. In public schools you often see teachers
chatting leisurely in groups during lessons.
Pupils go to school in the morning and leave during breaks and no one
penalises them. The premises of public schools are not even secure. But at Destiny Kings/Queens, we ensure that
students take their lessons and abide by all school rules and regulations. We
ensure total control of the school in terms of academic activities and
character control. Public schools have
failed to some extent. Teachers are given teaching jobs in public schools based
on who they know. But here we take
teachers based on merit. We have a
continuous monitoring system here, which means after employing a teacher, we
still monitor him in all school activities.
Every day, before a teacher goes to the class, we will ascertain the
extent of his work and still go to the class to monitor what he delivers to the
children, so efficiency is ensured. But
in public schools, it is a case of I put my brother or sister there whether he is
efficient or not. These are parts of the
challenges in government schools.
Malam Nasir el-Rufai has taken his son to a public
school in Kaduna. Do you see his action as a step towards returning public
schools to their glorious days?
school in Kaduna. Do you see his action as a step towards returning public
schools to their glorious days?
I
saw Malam Nasir el-Rufai as a true leader living by example. Many leaders take their children to study in
schools outside the country. If our leaders ship their children outside the
country it means they have more confidence in foreign education system than
ours, and this is a big problem for our education. El-Rufai has taken a bold
and commendable direction in spite of what his critics might say. I implore
all Nigerian public officeholders to emulate Governor el-Rufai and enrol
their children and wards in public schools. By this, they will ensure that government schools become functional. If you don’t fix your own education system,
no one else will do it for you. If the
schools are not providing the right education, they will be able to know by the
performance of their children. But in a situation where their children are not
in public schools, who will give them the feedback? How will they appreciate the problems and
prospects of the schools? In Destiny
Kings/Queens, all our proprietor’s children are enrolled here. This shows the
level of confidence he has in the school. If he is running a school like this
and his children are enrolled in other schools, what would prospective parents
say about his school? That means he is not confident in the ability of his school
to give quality education to his children.
This is the absurdity Nigerian education sector is witnessing today.
saw Malam Nasir el-Rufai as a true leader living by example. Many leaders take their children to study in
schools outside the country. If our leaders ship their children outside the
country it means they have more confidence in foreign education system than
ours, and this is a big problem for our education. El-Rufai has taken a bold
and commendable direction in spite of what his critics might say. I implore
all Nigerian public officeholders to emulate Governor el-Rufai and enrol
their children and wards in public schools. By this, they will ensure that government schools become functional. If you don’t fix your own education system,
no one else will do it for you. If the
schools are not providing the right education, they will be able to know by the
performance of their children. But in a situation where their children are not
in public schools, who will give them the feedback? How will they appreciate the problems and
prospects of the schools? In Destiny
Kings/Queens, all our proprietor’s children are enrolled here. This shows the
level of confidence he has in the school. If he is running a school like this
and his children are enrolled in other schools, what would prospective parents
say about his school? That means he is not confident in the ability of his school
to give quality education to his children.
This is the absurdity Nigerian education sector is witnessing today.
Do you think private school owners may be
frustrating government’s effort at making public schools work in the belief
that functional public schools will become a threat to their business?
frustrating government’s effort at making public schools work in the belief
that functional public schools will become a threat to their business?
I
am an educationist as well as a chartered accountant, so let me answer the
question from business perspective. If public schools are returned to their
glorious past it is going to be a huge threat to private school owners or a
total phase-out of private schools in the country. I serve in Osun state. You hardly see private
school there. All public schools there are functional. The decadence in public
schools is more pronounced in northern states. In the western part of Nigeria,
public schools are well functioning because they have effective monitoring
system. Their state governors pay their
teachers’ salaries as and at when due. There is a weekly monitoring team from
their ministries of education. If a teacher plays truancy he will not be paid
his salary. I served in the ministry of
education there during my national service so I know it all. To your question,
there will be no business for private schools if public schools become
functional, more so that parents are groaning under the current harsh economic
condition. Parents who are now
struggling to pay their children’s schools fees can use the money freed from
private school charges for other necessities in the family. For example in Nasarawa, Government Secondary
School, Tammah, has begun to come up gradually. So parents are enrolling their
children and wards there based on the confidence they now have in the school.
am an educationist as well as a chartered accountant, so let me answer the
question from business perspective. If public schools are returned to their
glorious past it is going to be a huge threat to private school owners or a
total phase-out of private schools in the country. I serve in Osun state. You hardly see private
school there. All public schools there are functional. The decadence in public
schools is more pronounced in northern states. In the western part of Nigeria,
public schools are well functioning because they have effective monitoring
system. Their state governors pay their
teachers’ salaries as and at when due. There is a weekly monitoring team from
their ministries of education. If a teacher plays truancy he will not be paid
his salary. I served in the ministry of
education there during my national service so I know it all. To your question,
there will be no business for private schools if public schools become
functional, more so that parents are groaning under the current harsh economic
condition. Parents who are now
struggling to pay their children’s schools fees can use the money freed from
private school charges for other necessities in the family. For example in Nasarawa, Government Secondary
School, Tammah, has begun to come up gradually. So parents are enrolling their
children and wards there based on the confidence they now have in the school.
What is the major contribution of your school to the
educational development of Nasarawa local government area?
educational development of Nasarawa local government area?
I
am happy to tell you that education is not all about academic knowledge. A good school provides and inculcates both
academic knowledge and character in the students. So at DestinyKings/Queens,
our students are found both worthy of character and knowledge. We make sure we
instill good character in our students for the benefit of Nasarawa LGA,
Nasarawa state and Nigeria as a whole.
In schools nearby and beyond, our old students excel in their various
disciplines. And even in public and private job places, our old students stand
out among their counterparts from other schools. The society today is rife with drug
addiction, cultism drunkenness and other vices but at Destiny Kings/Queens,
efforts are directed towards making sure that these vices find no shelter. Our students are being moulded into moral
individuals and patriotic Nigerians in such a way that even a mere playground
foul language is regarded as an act of indiscipline. All this rubs off on the society. The issue
of truancy, boy-girl relationship outside of academic works and cultism is not
heard here. So we are giving back to our
society functional education and sound moral upbringing. This will ensure a
better and violent-free society. In
other schools, students take law into their hands but here every action is
clearly defined by the school rules and regulation. So bullying has no place
here. We are moulding a society where
everyone will be his brother’s keeper.
am happy to tell you that education is not all about academic knowledge. A good school provides and inculcates both
academic knowledge and character in the students. So at DestinyKings/Queens,
our students are found both worthy of character and knowledge. We make sure we
instill good character in our students for the benefit of Nasarawa LGA,
Nasarawa state and Nigeria as a whole.
In schools nearby and beyond, our old students excel in their various
disciplines. And even in public and private job places, our old students stand
out among their counterparts from other schools. The society today is rife with drug
addiction, cultism drunkenness and other vices but at Destiny Kings/Queens,
efforts are directed towards making sure that these vices find no shelter. Our students are being moulded into moral
individuals and patriotic Nigerians in such a way that even a mere playground
foul language is regarded as an act of indiscipline. All this rubs off on the society. The issue
of truancy, boy-girl relationship outside of academic works and cultism is not
heard here. So we are giving back to our
society functional education and sound moral upbringing. This will ensure a
better and violent-free society. In
other schools, students take law into their hands but here every action is
clearly defined by the school rules and regulation. So bullying has no place
here. We are moulding a society where
everyone will be his brother’s keeper.
What can you say about the eradication of
polytechnic-university certificates dichotomy recently?
polytechnic-university certificates dichotomy recently?
I
myself hold HND and B.Sc. in Accounting also have a Post Graduate Diploma in
Education (PGDE). So I know what they
all mean. I know that President
Muhammadu Buhari is making great efforts towards eradicating the HND-BSc
dichotomy, but by personal experiences, I would advise parents to go for
university degrees. Though polytechnics are good in their own way, the
dichotomy will remain. There are some job levels that require a degree holder.
And the fear is that after President Buhari, the dichotomy may return.
myself hold HND and B.Sc. in Accounting also have a Post Graduate Diploma in
Education (PGDE). So I know what they
all mean. I know that President
Muhammadu Buhari is making great efforts towards eradicating the HND-BSc
dichotomy, but by personal experiences, I would advise parents to go for
university degrees. Though polytechnics are good in their own way, the
dichotomy will remain. There are some job levels that require a degree holder.
And the fear is that after President Buhari, the dichotomy may return.
In
polytechnic, you spend more years to acquire HND and after graduation you are
looked upon as an inferior product. As a
parent, I will never allow my children and wards to go to polytechnic because
this discrimination is traumatising. In the university, you spend four years
for a degree and you are recognised. Polytechnic is time-wasting and placing
unnecessary financial burden on parents.
polytechnic, you spend more years to acquire HND and after graduation you are
looked upon as an inferior product. As a
parent, I will never allow my children and wards to go to polytechnic because
this discrimination is traumatising. In the university, you spend four years
for a degree and you are recognised. Polytechnic is time-wasting and placing
unnecessary financial burden on parents.
What is your opinion on the reduction of cut-off
points for UTME?
points for UTME?
Looking
at it from business point, reducing cut-off points of University Tertiary
Matriculation Examination (UTME) is the same as telling students to stop
working hard. This surely reduces scholarly quality and competiveness in the
UTME. For example, placing the bar on 400 as the cut-off point will witness
increased hardwork on the part of students towards achieving their educational
aspirations. Now the students know that much effort is not required to pass
UTME and unfortunately carry the scholarly laziness to their undergraduate
works.
at it from business point, reducing cut-off points of University Tertiary
Matriculation Examination (UTME) is the same as telling students to stop
working hard. This surely reduces scholarly quality and competiveness in the
UTME. For example, placing the bar on 400 as the cut-off point will witness
increased hardwork on the part of students towards achieving their educational
aspirations. Now the students know that much effort is not required to pass
UTME and unfortunately carry the scholarly laziness to their undergraduate
works.