How Religion Undermines Nigeria's Development

(By Okenyi Kenechi) – I have never seen a dilapidated church. I have seen hundreds of dilapidated schools.

In my home town, the schools are rotting away while church buildings are growing bigger. No industries, just churches.

I once told someone that if the churches in Port Harcourt were to be transformed into industries, unemployment will vanish within one year and crime will be brought to a screeching halt. He agreed. 

Truth is, if a politician asks a certain village what they will prefer to be built for them, chances that they will chose a church will be higher.

Doubt me? Gitto in a bid to show appreciation to former president Goodluck Jonathan, asked him to chose one thing they will build for his village people and he chose a church. I don't know if there are world class hospitals in Otuoke or standard schools but he chose a church.

Education in Nigeria: We Can Do Better

(Eketi Edima Ette) - A Nigerian man recently had to go to his daughter's school to set things straight. 

The girl had been given an assignment. When asked who cooks for the home, her answer was, "Daddy."

The teacher marked her wrong. In 2018. As far as that teacher was concerned, cooking was a woman's job. 

*******

My mother runs a creche and early learning school. 

Her children love her. It's cute to see them eagerly run into her office to say good morning every day; some even demand to be carried. It warms my heart to see them say goodbye and see you tomorrow. One time, one of those 2+ year old imps even added, "You will miss me o!" 😂

In a recent conversation with Mama, we talked about her school, home schooling and its necessity, in view of the adversarial educational system we have in Nigeria. 

We talked about how their generation had been raised on the colonial educational system, one that was meant to produce clerks, engineers, doctors, interpreters, architects, etc., for the white man's government and companies. 

Of Creative Writing & Nigerian Secondary Schools

(By Temidayo Ahanmisi) - So at one of my client schools where I teach Creative Writing, this English teacher throws a mild tantrum. Doesn't see the need for my support work and always tries to belittle me.

The kids needed the intervention the proprietor had asked for as I can see. Grade 11 pupils constantly writing "Am" in place of "I am/I'm", much like their parents, uncles and aunts on WhatsApp and Facebook.

Grade level 12 pupils who can't manage to string two complete five-word sentences at a stretch. 

Grade 10 pupils who don't know the place of a full stop in a sentence. These pupils would reel off the definitions of parts of speech at your asking, but would argue that the word "She" is the adverb in "She is walking slowly", and that "walking" is either an adjective or a metaphor. Has to be.

This churlish teacher queried my "incursion" into Grammar, Comprehension and Vocabulary. I was there to "just teach ordinary Creative Writing", the experienced teacher of "12 years teaching experienced" would grumble.