Schools And Need For Quality Education

The demand to acquire higher education is increasing by the day. Parents agitate for quality education for their children just as the children crave to be like their mates irrespective of the fact that quality education is expensive. This is so, because of the fact that everyone wants to meet up the standard of education in our society. With this trend, parents and children wouldn’t mind the location in which the school is situated. As an asset, effective academic effort requires human and material resources and study facilities. Human resources begin from students, teachers, principals and other officers. Material resources include accommodation, library and its support services, textbooks and supplementary reading materials. As human investments, parents, teachers, government and society place a high value and premium on education of the children and youths since they are the future leaders. But, it is sad that our rural schools lack these educational facilities. That is, both human and material resources which are the hallmark of a standard school.
Apart from this, the academic performance of the students should also be considered for instance, the performances of the students who are taught in an unconducive environment cannot be compared with the performances of the students who learn in a conducive environment. A number of studies have shown that many schools, particularly those in rural areas are characterised or plagued by decaying buildings that threaten the health, safety and learning opportunities of the students. As a result, the performances of these students tends to be below standard. Although the location of a school has a big role to play on the educational achievement of the students. Immediate environment of a child plays a major role on his socialisation. Therefore, the area in which a school is located can affect the educational achievement of such a child. For example, a school in the heart of the Government Reserved Area (G.R.A) or housing estate cannot be compared with a school located in an unsuitable place found around motor park, main street, near to the market and rural areas.
However, the establishment of good schools is not a criterion for a specific environment. Rather, the basic amenities make up the school environment. The amenities include, buildings, classrooms, desks, libraries, laboratories, and instructional services. Therefore, the adequate provision of necessary facilities in a school could lead to a better performance of students compared to the ones that are not well-provided for. Following the negative effects and consequences of lack of educational facilities on the academic performances of the students in rural areas, it behoves government and all meaningful Nigerians to care for the rural dwellers who do not benefit from basic amenities by providing adequate and relevant materials to the rural schools so as to ensure better academic performances of the students. The government should also make a policy to ensure that rural schools are well equipped with qualified teachers, and students assign to their respective areas or fields of specialisation. This is more so as most of these schools do not have qualified teachers and some have few teachers.
One wonders how a school without English or Mathematics teachers, or instructional materials could provide quality education for her students? Instructional materials serve as a channel through which messages, information, ideas and knowledge are better disseminated and easily too. They can therefore, be manipulated, seen, heard, felt or talked about. Instructional materials are educational inputs vital to the successful implementation of any curriculum. Relevant and appropriate textbooks, visual and audio-visual materials like globes, charts, maps, tapes, slides etc are of paramount necessities in the teaching and learning process. In the same vein, Audio-visual materials supplement and consolidate on the gains of what is read in textbooks and journals. They facilitate or enhance the acquisition and evaluation of knowledge skills, attitudes, morals and values.

By: Florence Ujile
Ujile resides in PortHarcourt.