Don Blames Teachers For Students’ Poor Performance

A senior lecturer in linguistics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Gabriella Nwaozuzu, has blamed the poor performance of students in NECO and WAEC examinations on the poor quality of teachers.

Nwaozuzu told newsmen in Nsukka, Enugu State, that until the government professionalised teaching, the poor performance in external examinations would persist.

“It is unfortunate that teaching in primary and secondary schools in the country has continued to be an all-comers affair.

“Until teaching is professionalised, no amount of efforts by the government will re-position and improve students’ performance in external examinations.

“Every year, we talk about poor performance of students in NECO and WAEC, mainly in English language and mathematics, but nobody cares to know the quality of the people teaching these students,’’ she said.

She urged the government to conduct audit of teachers in primary and secondary schools in the country.

According to the professor, this will enable the government to know those who are qualified to teach and those who are not qualified to teach to move the sector forward.

“It is regrettable that some English and mathematics teachers in secondary schools who are preparing these students are mostly secondary school leavers who have no fundamental of teaching.

“It is timeless truth that one does not give what he does not have. Even the bible says that a blind man cannot lead a blind man.

“We should know that the quality of the youth today, to an extent, determines the future of the country,’’ she said.

The don, however, advised parents to ensure that their children paid attention to their studies.

She said that if the number of hours children dedicated to watch television and home movies were invested in reading books, the level of failure in external examinations would be reduced.

“Parents should ensure that their children give more attention to their books. Buy books as gifts to your children, especially during their birthday celebrations.

“When any of them performs well in examination, gives him/her special treatment to encourage other children to work hard,’’ she said.