EDUCATION AND THE WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA: ---

EDUCATION AND THE WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA: SOME BASIC ISSUES ON THE ROLE OF PRIMARY EDUCATION




BY


Ma’azu Mohammed Yusif
Department of Political Science
Bayero University, Kano

Presented at a Seminar organized by the Code of Conduct Bureau, held in Jigawa 3 Star Hotel, Dutse, 14th March 2001


Introduction

The subject of this seminar is “Combating Corruption and Moral decadence through primary education”. The title of the seminar is similar to the one organized by the Bureau, in November 2000. The only difference is that the former focused on the role of local government staff, while this one is to brainstorm the role of primary education.

I participated in the first seminar and I have personally gained a lot of knowledge on the practical aspects and feelings as well as nationalist/statist sentiments of the participants on the issue, under discussion. Whereas, the participants at this seminar may not be the same with those of the November seminar, yet it will not be improper to raise the discussion to higher level. Therefore, what I am going to do is to alter the topic given to me by the organizers of this seminar, to be not so much on “causes and effects of corruption on societal development”, but on “education and the war against corruption in Nigeria today: Some issues on the role of primary education”

I have chosen this topic having realized that corruption in Nigeria is an issue of inherent fascination, in which, after solid determination of anti-corruption crusades by every regime, there is a naturally immense curiosity about how this affair has become increasingly so common.

It has become so common to the extent that it is now a culture in our socialization, brought up, and even in our psychic. It is that, such that there is need of a total programme of re-orientation to create a new society with new people of entirely new behaviour.

In view of the above, the choice of the topic of this seminar, by the code of Conduct Bureau is most appropriate. Although, I have searched everywhere in the Bureau’s handbook accessible to me to quote a section which gives it power to initiate programmes of National Campaign to educate the people, but could not seen any. Nevertheless, the activities of the Jigawa state office of the Bureau is a giant stride, which may come up with scientific initiatives in the works of the Bureau nationally.

In any case, the prospects and problems of education, primary education in particular, in combating corruption and moral decay is the thrust of this paper.

Definitions
It is clearly very important that we are precise about our terms. The key terms are corruption, education, and primary education. The term corruption has varied meanings depending upon the environmental circumstances and context it is being used. The Oxford Dictionary defines corruption as (of person or their actions), immoral, dishonest, the offering and accepting of bribes, impair, debase by errors or alterations, decay”. In a more social and political context, corruption “involves inducement intended to pressure an official from carrying out his functions in accordance with set rules and procedures. It includes act of arrogation of benefits for one self or ones friends and relatives to the detriment of the right or entitlement of others regarding the same or similar benefits”. On the basis of this definition, although it is more evident among public officers, but can be found in business, partisan political practices, other social relationships, etc. There are some people who will not imagine the damages corruption can bring on the whole fabric of society. In my personal opinion the major problem of Nigeria is corruption. Nothing is working, and it is because of corruption. It is only when we overcome this major problem, we can see the other minor difficulties which we could easily be controlled to move the society forward.

The term education is also of great importance to this paper. What I want to get across to this gathering on the concept of education, inspite of its varied meanings is that education is the process of development of human personality as long as the person lives. There are many ways, sources, methods and techniques of being educated. In modern times, through a system of modern education, education is acquired and imparted through a school system. In school system, new ideas, skills and behaviour are taught both to small children and to adults. And it is expected that one will come out from school with new attitude to life and of the world around. It is on this note the Code of Conduct Bureau is imaginative to organize a seminar on “Combating Corruption and Moral decadence through primary education”. Primary Education refers to early education given to children of six to twelve years. This level of education is very significant for future educational career of any body. It is at this level, the most basic talents and good background for future is imparted. That is why following the universal declaration of human rights adopted by the nations of the world in 1950 which asserted that “everyone has a right to education”, all countries of the world made significant efforts to universalize primary education. More recently, a World conference on education for all was held in Thailand form March 5 to March 9, 1990 under the joint auspices of the World Bank, UNDP, UNESCO and UNICEF. The outcome of the conference, which Nigeria was a participant, was a World Declaration of Education for all and Framework for Action to meet Basic Learning Needs. As a result of this, many countries in the World have doubled their efforts to achieve education for all. Yet, in Nigeria, especially in Northern part of the country, there is a lot to be done, in terms of enrollment structures and facilities to give our children basic education, to create new human beings to face the to face the tasks of fighting the evils of corruption which bedeviled Nigeria’s society.

Theoretical Framework
In the introductory section I made a statement that corruption in Nigeria has become a culture. Which I added that the people ought to be re-oriented through some forms of education in order to wipe it out of our mentality. And that, this can be done through education, including primary education which is the subject of this seminar.

Now, what is culture? Most common expression about culture is that it is about dancing and music or anything traditional. That is why our understanding of culture is limited to kingship system, praising the king and his court, organizing young women to dance naked to entertain foreign visitors and their guests in state house, etc.

However, culture is not something static, for display only. It is not fossilized museum piece. Instead, it must be seen as a dynamic process, involving people and their creative capacities. It is the representation of the meaning and values which people give to their lives and society. It is produced by a complex, reciprocal relationship between the community and its entire environment – physical, social, and political. It is something vital: a living, ever-changing process of self discovery.

In addition to so many other aspects of life – good and bad, Nigerians have virtually accepted the cancer of corruption as part of their lives and thought.

In addition to so many other aspects of life good and bad, Nigerians have virtually accepted the cancer of corruption as part of their lives and thought. The result of this is that government activities are designed to kill initiatives and independent thought. Thus, our children are trained never to question what they have seen. In government and other establishments, our people are forced to chant their loyalty pledge and are punished if they question matters of policy. Any sign of initiative, any stepping out of the line, evokes the threat of dismissal, transfer to where no work will be done or one will be kept redundant where he is.

I feel that style of work can only be carried out if our education system does a job of killing the mind, training the voice to produce the right answers, and grooming future rulers to perpetuate the system.

This is the type of education used by the ruling-class to encourage corruption and to stabilized and reproduce the system without change. However, instead of instilling conformity, it can in certain situations, be organized to become subversive of that outlook. It is because of this prospect of education to produce independent thinkers, various governments make sure they undermine this promise of education system. Thus, governments always seek to control it from above to tell its teachers what and how to teach and to make certain that the educational system is used to weaken, and not to stimulate mental growth.

One way to ensure that education does not change the situation is to separate the ‘educated’ from the ‘uneducated’ socially, politically and spiritually. The educated see themselves as members of the elite, set apart from, and above the rest of society. In this way, potential leaders are, so to speak, cordoned off from the rest of the population, and when properly groomed re-imposed on the population to lead in direction already laid by the ruling class. When people educate their children, the children are turned and used against them. Because, they go and steal government money, build mansions in their villages, and give out small amount of money to few people of the community.

Then the question now, as highlighted above is, how would education, primary education in particular, be organized to combat corruption and moral decadence in Nigeria?

Primary Education in Nigeria – The Problems
In spite of the World Bank Programme on Primary Education purportedly to rescue it from collapse there are clear indication of continuing deterioration in the primary education system. The signs of the deterioration can be seen in every aspect of the system. These include the no revitalized physical facilities – both buildings and furniture for teachers and pupils, health and health related facilities in schools are now luxuries, instructional materials are not adequate, and there are unqualified teachers in the teaching service in primary schools. The percentage of unqualified primary school teachers in Northern states was alarming. In 1995 in Katsina state was 76.31%; in Sokoto and Zamfara states it was 72.54%; 59.55% in Kebbi state; 59.18% in Jigawa state; 58.00% in Kano state and 31.02% in Kaduna state.

While education policy at any level of government put primary education as a priority in the education sector, yet funding and management of the system are the major causes of falling of the system. The problem of funding is essentially because the funds that are allocated for the system, by both local, state and federal governments as Y.B. Usman noted, “are systematically stolen by a highly organized education mafia”. To the point that the schools got grounded. Y.B. Usman put it very clearly when he said that “…The detailed, facts available, throughout this country, since before independence, in numerous reports of judicial and administrative commissions of inquiry shows that most of what is ostensibly spend on education, is not at all used for education, but for the making of profits and super-profits for foreign business corporations and their Nigerian business and political partners and agents, and as commissions fees, kickback, bribes and other legal, semi-legal and criminal earnings for those who control the very lucrative Nigerian education industry”.

Today, in spite of huge resources and democratic governance, the various levels of government have not overcome the problem. A recent example of recklessness with education funds can be seen in the management of Education Tax Fund. When it was uncovered that over 50 million Naira was missing. The police investigated the matter and found it to be true and yet no formal investigation is placed to find judicial explanations of punishing the culprits.

The World Bank project on primary education is not going to bring a desired impact on the system. In my opinion, in the long run it will deepen the problem than solve it. The Bank is interested in primary education, as primary education is the first step of formal education, and any body who controls it will determine and control the future development of the society.

A major objective of the World Bank in primary education is part of its programme in killing higher education. Thus, the Bank thinks that primary education should be designed to prepare Nigerians for street occupation instead of the ambition of proceeding for higher education.

On the surface of the components of the project which includes provision of textbooks, and other Educational materials for pupils and teachers; improving resources allocation for primary education; increasing primary school enrollments; training of teachers, headmasters and inspectors; provision of library books to all the local Government Education Authority, Council and primary schools etc. will seem to develop the system.

Certainly this will improve the system, but will produce pupils who will grow with mentality of individualism and the worst of it, in Nigeria, even the primary education will be controlled by foreigners. Hence, corruption will continue to be regenerated from the bottom.

Primary Education: Challenges and Recommendations for Alternative Reform
Now that the President of Nigeria has launched Universal Basic Education i.e. providing Free Universal Education at primary school level to all those who have reached the age. How are various levels of government, especially in the North, are making reparation to meet this challenge? What mechanisms are being put to the programme to create new attitudes in our children to prepare them for building a new Nigeria, free of corruption and moral decadence.

I would like to start with a philosophical and political solution of which its practicability and promises can only be explored and makes recommendations by a high level commission of experts, religious and community leaders, etc. directly involved in the primary education system. That is to say, there s need of a programme which calls and organizes for changes in the attitudes and thinking of the people towards the meaning and purpose of education for the present generation of Nigerians and after.

For more specific actions to be taken on this course, the following are recommended.
1. Since this project requires a complete overhaul of the attitudes of both the people and the pupils towards education, the first essential thing is that those concerned with developing education of this type, must possessed and embraced high culture of discipline, therefore, the ones we have now, who are found guilty of corruption must be purged and those not are to be retained.
2. If management of the system is re-oriented, then it is certain funding will be utilized for development of the system. Indeed, funding is crucial to the success of the system. The raising of such funds may be, in addition to government contributions, organizations and agencies as well as individuals that can afford it should be mobilized to contribute to a common pool which can then be used uniformly for the consumer irrespective of their socio-economic background.
3. The teaching curriculum content should be designed to remove feeling of individualism among children of various levels of primary education. I am aware that the National Policy on Education recommends nine subjects for the primary schools: Language study, Integrated Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Cultural Arts, Health and Physical Education, Religious Instruction, Agriculture and Home Economics. Handcraft, Citizenship Education. The seeing of the curriculum indicates a well-planned programme of studies by children at primary education level. Although, the breadth and wideness of the areas may if not careful have an adverse effect, but a well organized teaching method of team work and working together in many of the areas may inculcate the spirit of understanding among the pupils, to fight the evils of corruption and other evils in the society.
4. Teachers are the backbone of any school system. In primary education system, in particular, where children are introduced to formal education system, teachers must be qualified and disciplined. A government policy has already stipulated that no teacher with less than Grade II teachers certificate will be allowed in the school system from 995. Although the NPEC survey shows that in 1991 about 85.25% of teachers in the primary school system have Grade II teachers certificate or higher, yet the situation is less encouraging in Northern states and to today these states have difficulties in meeting the 1995 deadline, while another policy has already required that primary school teachers have a minimum qualification of NCE with effect from 1998. I think a drastic measure must be initiated in the Northern states to deal with the situation.

For discipline of teachers, in order to ensure that, there must be adequate remuneration. A good pay package for the teachers is the only guarantee of eliminating corruption from the system.

References
1. Akinkugbe (1994) Nigeria and Education: The challenges and Recommendation of the Second Obafemi Awolowo Foundation Dialogue, Spectrum Books Limited Ibadan

2. Arewa House (2000), Towards the Improvement of Education in the Northern State of Nigeria: Agenda for Action, Ahmadu Bello University, Kaduna

3. Dahiru Abdullahi (1997), World Bank and Primary Education in Nigeria: A case study of World Bank Project in Gwarzo Local Government Area Kano State, being a research dissertation submitted to the Department of Political Science, Bayero University Kano. In partial fulfillment for the award of the Diploma in Public Administration.

4. John Gingell, and E.P. Brandon (2000), “In Defense of High Culture”, Special Issues of the Journal of Philosophy of Education Vol. 34 No.13.

5. Ma’azu Mohammed Yusif (2000), “Causes and Effects of Corruption on Societal Development”. Paper presented at a Seminar organized by the Code of Conduct Bureau, held at Jigawa 3 Star Hotel, Dutse (1985).

6. Yusuf Bala Usman et al (1985), The Nigerian Economic Crisis: Causes and Solutions.

7. Ibrahim Yadudu Yahaya (2001), The Annal of corruption: A Critique of Nigerian Politics, forthcoming