The beleaguered education sector

Many years ago, a great writer and poet, Roger Zelazny, in his book; “The Graveyard Heart” pen down these words: “In a world of physical ease, brutal social equality, and reasonable economic equality, exclusiveness in frivolity becomes the most soughtafter of all distinctions.”

No doubt, exclusiveness in frivolity has become the most lucrative business most sought-after in Nigeria in recent times. To say that these reprehensible traits have come to characterise the nation’s body politics is to state the obvious.

The recent allegation case of N25 billion of the National Examination Council (NECO) has put the beleaguered education sector under the spotlight, for all the wrong reasons at a time the country is battling with multifaceted issues of senseless killings of innocent Nigerians and unhealthy elites rivalries between the Executive and Legislative arms of government.

Just last week, the Nigerian public was subjected to another allegations of N25 billion under Prof. Charles Uwakwe’s led National Examination Council (NECO), which led to the suspension of NECO boss and two other principal officers from office with immediate effect. The suspension of the officers and the subsequent setting up of an investigative panel to exhume the ‘purported stench’ is no doubt a welcome development especially for an administration that claims to be fighting corruption.

Nevertheless, it is gratifying to note that notable Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and some anti-corruption groups have indicated sufficient interest in this ongoing NECO saga and are calling for justice to prevail. I have read in some of our national dailies and social media platforms on the call by a Non Governmental Organisation, (NGO), based in the nation’s capital under the aegis of Anti Corruption Crusaders of Nigeria, (ACCN), calling on the investigative panel probing the alleged N25 billion contract award rocking Prof Charles Uwakwe’s, led National Examination Council, NECO, to be fair and justice in the discharge of its assignment.

The group told journalists in Abuja that it is totally strange for a ouncil under the watchful eyes of Federal Ministry of Education and members of the National Assembly in terms of budgeting to mismanage such huge sum of money through contract awards.

The spokesperson of the group assured stakeholders in the education sector that his group will religiously follow up the case with a view to bringing justice to all parties involved, stressing that the era of frivolous allegations are over.

The group went further to postulate that considering the dwindling resources in the education sector, N25 billion will go a long way to resuscitate the ailing sector.

According to the Civil Society Organisation, “However, we are still in doubt how such huge sum of money can vanish from the Council under the watchful eyes of the Federal Ministry of Education and National Assembly. We all know the approval limit of a serving minister and Chief Executive Officers of agencies and parastals in the country.

“We are convinced that the number of candidates who sat for National Examination Council and how much the council make is in the public domain. How can a council like NECO awards N25 billion contracts without approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC)? How much is the budget of the council as approved by the National Assembly?”

These are indeed the questions that should ordinarily guide the conduct of the investigative panel. Above all, information in the public domain shows that total budget for SSCE 2018 is well below N12 billion.

The analysis of the budget include printing (answer booklets, sensitive and non-sensitive materials, certificates, computer flow line, school bags, exam forms, exam timetable) is well below N6 billion. It is therefore practically impossible for a Registrar to award contracts to the tune of N25 billion even by contracts splitting.

I reliably gathered that the Registrar handed over the examination materials to the Acting Registrar soon after the announcement of the suspension. The import of that is that no contract whatsoever had been awarded when he was suspended, as he was still in custody of these materials.

As at 14th June, 2018, Professor Charles Uwakwe handed over questions for the 2018 SSCE Examinations to the Acting Registrar, Abubakar Gana. If as at today, the sensitive materials are still in Minna, then how can one say that contract has been awarded.

As at today, no contractor has been given award letter. The question now is, if by 14th May, 2018 no award letter has been given to any contractor, how can one be punished on the 12th of May for an award that never existed in the first place. This is considered in the public opinion as the greatest injustice and defamation of hard earned reputation of Prof Charles Uwakwe. Is it another case of Nigerians destroying their greatest academics because of something that never existed?

The replacement of 2017 is the only replacement in NECO for the last three years that was done with the necessary approvals. It is on record that the Federal Character Commission gave approval to replace and also gave a compliance certificate certifying that due process was followed. Also Ministry of Education, Office of the Accountant General and Budget office were aware and all gave their approvals. Ministry of Education also sent in her list.

The total number of candidates that wrote SSCE in June/July last year was a million and fifty seven candidates. If this is multiplied with eleven thousand naira which is the cost of registration per candidate it is around N11 billion. Out of this money custodian officers are paid, daily distributors, logistics, internal and external monitors are paid from the same money. Also Examiners that mark the scripts are also paid from the money realised. We have over one hundred marking venues spread across all the states and FCT. If all these expenditures are calculated, one can see that no NECO Registrar on earth can give the amount of contract they are brandishing about.

Considering all of the above, it is safe to arrive at a conclusion that some people are acting a script. Such is dangerous, destructive and a disservice to the image of NECO as an examination body and to Prof Charles Uwakwe who came in to NECO with the spirit of service.

Interestingly, unlike his counterpart in NHIS, who refuses to proceed on suspension, Prof. Charles Uwakwe has demonstrated high discipline in public service and effective coordination within the Buhari’s administration.

While it will not be safe to jump into hasty judgment that Prof. Charles Uwakwe is innocent of the allegations, it is instructive at this material time to guide the investigative panel not to allow its time to be wasted on the frivolities of life because “a frivolous society can acquire dramatic significance only through what its frivolity destroys.”

Mr. Jonathan Kasim is public commentator based Garki, Abuja a in