Time to save public schools from collapse

Public schools in the past did a lot for the masses. Most of our leaders today are products of such schools. Not only did they attend public schools, their education was also free. Sadly, those schools have now become shadow of themselves due to neglect by the same people who benefitted from them. Commenting on Awolowo’s free education scheme in 1955, the then governor of Western Region, Sir John Rankine, had this to say: “The provision of free universal primary education is an important milestone in the social advancement of any nation”.

The free education programme entailed more classrooms, teaching equipment, as well as increased expenditure on recruiting and training of teachers and this made the Western Region government spend more on education in 1955 than what was budgeted. It is unfortunate that what we had in 1955 cannot be replicated 61 years later. A renowned Professor of English Education at the University of Ibadan, Professor Kolawole Clement, recounted in his inaugural lecture how he was on the verge of going to learn a handiwork before the introduction of free education.

I, therefore, urge those in position of authority to look into the matter and save public schools from total collapse. Those who can introduce free education should go ahead and do that but those who cannot should at least provide good learning environment for the leaders of tomorrow.