STUDENTS’ POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: WHO TO BLAME?

Some had accused parents for their improper caring of their children at home and at school and others point fingers to students for their lackadaisical attitudes towards their future progress and development while some had launched verbal and physical assault on teachers and school administration and some had blamed the entire education system.

The experts in the country responsible for the coordination and administration of education in the country advised people not to put the blame on each other rather help the system to come with a surmountable and lasting solution to the problem which is seemingly persistent.

Teachers and senior school administrations host numerous problems day-in-day-out in the process of building a robust foundation for those matured students, some of whom are already mothers and fathers. You can never understand the difficulties of administering such caliber of scores of people unless and until you are part of it. I believe that teachers can work with any group or organisation without many problems.

However, a concerned ex- student had come up with a poem to blame himself for the opportunities given to him but failed to capitalise on until he saw the reality of life.

Title of the poem is: IN a STATE OF DESPAIR I CALL FOR HELP

Oh my God

Oh my Mother

Oh my Teacher

I hereby extend my hands for forgiveness

For the big opportunities you gave me which I did not exploit

For the efforts and hardwork you made for me which I did not pay you back

For the good advice you were giving me which I did not take into consideration

For the big contribution you made to lay a strong foundation for my future which I

Cared little about.

Now the time has come for me to know that knowledge is perfection

Knowledge is success

Knowledge is independence

Knowledge is development

Knowledge is happiness

Knowledge helps to safeguard your honour

But is it not late?

I know now that no one can turn back the hands of time.

Oh my

Oh my Mother

Oh my Teacher

Here are my hands trembling because of despair.

I have thrown myself in a deep welAll my plans are abort

Because of my rudeness, misbehaviour and lack of awareness.

At school, I thought I was the most powerful in our classs

I was challenging my teachers

I was not listening to them

Sometimes I used to insult them

I was always coming late

Mostly, I was dodging classes.

I used to cause trouble in class so that I could be sent out

To go and play basketball or gamble.

When the gate is closed, I used to jump the wall

I was not listening to any advice.

When I was sent home, I used to beg strangers in the street

To come and represent my parents.

I was also a handsome boy.

I was changing girlfriends as I changed clothes.

At night, instead of studying my notes, I prefer to sit

With friends drinking tea and watching television.

This poem is indeed a very sad and regrettable experience of the author which every sober and ambitious youth should follow keenly with all consents as a food for thought for all and sundry. 

We would advise all those persons and all those so-called principals who often blame their teachers responsible for students to mend their ways to channel students’ poor performance in better ways. It has been realized that the schools where such principals are, their students’ performance and their numbers keep reducing as they keep losing their best teachers.

Follow education in depth for more interesting lectures on subsequent publications. Next week, we promise to bring you an interesting discussion concerning unfair treatment of graduate teachers by some board- schools which we feel the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education is aware of and gave a blind eye to.

You are free to contact us on:

Educationindepth@yahoo.com or

Telephone: 9900824/6900842/3589666