Educationist Advocates Reintroduction of HSC in School Curriculum
James Sowole in Akure
Disturbed by display of youthful exuberance by some university students particularly in their 100 level, a retired permanent secretary in Ondo State, Mr. Erastus Akinkuowo yesterday advocated the reintroduction of Higher School Certificate (HSC) programme in Nigerian education curriculum.
Akinkuotu made the call at a news conference to herald the commencement of 60th Anniversary of Olofin Grammar School, Idanre, Ondo State.
Flanked by some other alumni of the school founded in 1957 and which included, Mr Bode Betiku and the current principal of the school, Mr. Olusegun Akinayajo, Akinkuotu said many students of higher institutions of today are not matured.
He said the reintroduction of HSC programme would prepare students for many of the challenges that they would face when they gain admission into the universities.
“The fact that many students who gained admission into universities these days are very young, their minds are not developed and this is one of the factor that makes them to fall for anything including negative behaviourâ€, he said.
Speaking at the conference, the principal identified lack of functional boarding facilities in secondary schools as one of the factors responsible for low students’ performances in external examinations.
Akinnayajo said the decline in boarding facilities contributed to low reading habits among secondary schools students because there was nobody to monitor them once they leave school premises.
“in the case of boarding system, time are allocated for every activity in school. There is time for games, there is time for reading and other things but this is not easy to monitor among day students†the principal said.
Another factor identified by the principal for the poor performance of students, was the poor attitude of teachers to teaching just as he blamed some parents for looking for short cut for their children to pass examinations.
Betiku, who highlighted some activities line up for the 60th Anniversary Celebrations, said the alumni association would make renovation of boarding facilities in the school a priority among other projects to be handled by the association.
