A few years ago, it would have been very strange to be discussing this issue. Perhaps it sounds strange to you even now. What with the age long challenge of girl child education still remaining un-surmounted and a million and one NGO’s registered solely to address gender disparity in school enrollment in the country.
Nobody however seems to be taking note of a disturbing new trend. There is an alarming decline in Boy child enrollment in schools especially in eastern parts of the country to such extents that I believe it should now be the concern rather than the earlier issue of Girl Child education.
No body seems to be asking any questions why there is an increase in the number of boys dropping out of school especially in eastern Nigeria. This is a trend which is so obvious but to which there is unfortunately no figures to prove. It is something we know is happening but which we are either pretending not to have noticed or we don’t seem to have accorded it enough importance to begin to address it.
In the past, parents sent only their male children to school, believing albeit erroneously, that the education of their daughters was a waste. Then, the gender disparity favoured the male child as many more boys had the opportunity of accessing western education.
Today however, following an erosion of societal values and the increased pursuit for quick wealth which brings about greater acceptance and reverence in the society, education and the need to acquire it seems to have lost its attraction. Indeed, wealth itself now buys certificates and positions of leadership. The average young man therefore is increasingly not seeing the need to spend so many years in pursuit of what he can achieve through other means. Spending the same measure of time chasing money seems a more fulfilling endeavour.
The situation is not helped by the very poor performance of the Nigerian Government as regards education. At the moment, Federal Government college teachers have downed tool. Their colleagues in primary schools in about nineteen states have equally refused to resume for the new academic session due to the failure of government to implement the agreed Teachers Salary Scale. The deadlock in the Tertiary wing is now a National embarrassment; I need not bore you about it here.
Unfortunately and ironically, after many years of expending our resources including grants from international agencies like the United Nations, we can not boast of having made significant success in redressing the issue of Girl child education. It would not therefore be far from the truth to state that whatever data on a reduction in the gender disparity which the government has to flaunt is not actually based on more girls enrolling into school, but really about more boys dropping out.
These boys drop out not to go into apprenticeship in any trade or craft, but straight into the scramble for what ever they can grab which leaves them either perpetually at the bottom rung of Maslow’s chart or with a desire to do something criminal to rise in it.
Ever wonder who all the army of Okada riders are? Or the bus conductors and Motor Park touts? What of the boys who harangue you to buy their wares in the traffic? Okay, let’s bring it closer home. Who are the guys robbing the buses and the banks? What is the gender of those taking people hostage?
It is not rocket science to note that we are sitting on some kind of time bomb here. A nation that toys with the education of her children as we seem to be so obsessed with doing at the moment is sure headed for doom. It becomes even more worrying when it is her male population that is increasingly dropping out of school.
Sylva Nze Ifedigbo
www.nzesylva.wordpress.com
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