SCHOOL CHILDREN NEED INFRASTUCTURE TOO

I read in one of the national dailies that the federal government feeds school children weekly with 594 cattle, 138 000 chickens and a whopping 6.8 million eggs. I am not going to doubt you because, in Nigeria, anything is possible.

However, I would like to say that school children also need good infrastructure. I am an educationist and I know that children who learn under good and conducive infrastructure tend to learn better and faster than children learning under dilapidated condition.

Education is supposed to be the bedrock of our society; it ought to be at the forefront. But may I let you know in case you don’t know that entertainment, especially music, has taken over the trail. Our once education which happens to be the legacy our parents crave to leave for their children no longer hold waters. Children tend to prefer entertainment to education.

It would interest you to know that our children now prefer musicians as their mentors and role models than our scholars. These are the musicians whose songs are solely based on codeine, Indian hemp, sensual and sex. To make matters worse, our dear Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation is not helping issues. They don’t censor these songs again unlike then. Television and radio stations prefer to air these songs free of charge than educational programmes. Educational competition comes with a meager prize of N100,000 while a mere entertainment competition prize will come at stupendous millions of naira. Is this not a deterrent to our educational system in Nigeria?

Sir, I can bet it that if we handpick 20 children randomly in my area, and they are asked to choose among you, Olamide or Whizkid as a role model, I believe strongly that only one of them will choose you while the rest will choose between Olamide and Whizkid. The reason is not far-fetched. These children believe that musicians have more impact and make more money in our society than our so-called scholars. Schools no longer interest our children!

Please sir, don’t just feed them, provide a good infrastructure for them too as this will afford them the opportunity to learn under a conducive environment. Your generation will go but what legacy or precedence will you be remembered for?

I want to believe your children school in Nigeria but if not, you are part of our problem sir. I can also bet it and I know strongly that you and our leaders cannot send your children to a school like the one below.

So, while propagating your feeding programme, please note that conducive environment is paramount to quality education. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Every child, just like yours, deserves a better education.

I will be happy if our educational system can improve.

I crave a better life for our children.

Dada Monday Oluwaseyifunmi, Lagos