QUALITIES OF A GOOD TEACHER

HAPPY TEACHERS DAY

Teaching, the noble profession

Every student has his or her favourite teacher, but that teacher may not be the best qualified person on the teaching staff. In other words, although the mastery of the subject or subjects taught, plus an enthusiastic approach, is an essential prerequisite in a teacher, it is far from being the only qualification. There are some who know their subjects but totally fail to put them across to the students.

Let us first examine the negative side. Unless the teacher has a voice which carries, without shouting, there will always be inattention at the back of the class. There are teachers who cannot stop talking, and who will lecture a class for forty minutes. Most students will be asleep after the first fifteen minutes. There are teachers whose manners and dress are eccentric; they may be popular but few students take them seriously. There are teachers who either shout at or speak sarcastically to backward students. They are disliked by the whole class. There are teachers who prefer to talk about the football team or a certain television program rather than the subject they are paid to teach. While this again may achieve popularity, it certainly evokes no respect. There are teachers whose lives are marred by drink, drugs, or sexual deviation. These cannot begin to be effective teachers. So what are the positive qualities the student looks for?

A good teacher must be able to exercise discipline. Teaching cannot begin in an unruly class. In the past, class discipline has usually been strict and inflexible. The more modern approach is to allow more freedom of speech and movement, though no individual can be allowed to dominate proceedings by rough and noisy behaviour. All teachers know the difference between a lively and a disruptive student. To be able to exert, the right kind of discipline can be learnt, but this is often by bitter experience. There are a few fortunate men and women who have only to walk into a classroom to create order. Unfortunately, there are more whose entry is a signal for chaos.

Students are always ready to work to the best of their ability for someone whom they respect, for two reasons. The first is the desire to please that person. The second, more important reason, is the knowledge that the teacher has the student’s best interests at heart.

Study has two objectives and a careful balance between the two must be kept by the teacher. The first is the ability to instill a love of the subject taught, which will be maintained in adult life. The second is to prepare the students as well as possible for the next examination, be it O or A level or university entrance in some cases. On the other hand, if, say, English is taught exclusively to cover the examination syllabus by means of learning context passages and model answers by heart, the subject will become boring. If on the other hand too much attention is paid to generalizations about literature and its place in social evolution, then the lessons may well be interesting but the student will go unprepared into the examination room.

There should also be a balance between how much work the teacher does and how much the student does. Some modern educational theorists disapprove of any talking by the teacher beyond the bare minimum. Unfortunately, if students’ work is not carefully guided, and if they are given free expression in their approach to any subject, most of them will learn nothing of value. Avoiding the lecture habit, the good teacher, who has already done his or her lesson preparation, will help the student to achieve certain objectives in each lesson by a mixture of verbal instruction and class work. Television, radio and other visual aids are only marginally helpful, and should be kept to a minimum.

In schools which are not streamed, there will always be class members who are sometimes incapable of doing the work which others find easy. A good teacher will help them individually, sometimes after school hours, and if they are non-achievers, set them simpler work.

To a certain extent, a good teacher needs to be a psychologist, able to detect and advise on mental blockages, which are sometimes due to outside emotional disturbances. A good teacher should be someone you can trust and talk to, and whose sane advice on your personal problems is worth listening to.

HAPPY TEACHERS DAY
Learning, Growing and Sharing

STRUGGLES OF OUR LIFE

Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed. Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.

Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.

Turning to her, he asked. “Daughter, what do you see?” “Potatoes, eggs and coffee,” she hastily replied.

“Look closer”, he said, “and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft.

He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.

“Father, what does this mean?” she asked.

He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity-the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently. The potato went in strong, hard and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak. The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard. However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.

“Which one are you?” he asked his daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

Moral: In life, things happen around us, things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is how you choose to react to it and what you make out of it. Life is all about learning, adopting and converting all the struggles that we experience into something positive.

PROCRASTINATION

One of the many weaknesses of which man must be warned is procrastination or putting off things that can be done today till a later date. There is some natural inertia in man which makes him lethargic. He knows he must work but he doesn’t want to unless he is goaded, very often leaves things where they are. If it doesn’t affect him personally he doesn’t act immediately. He would rather bask in idleness. To make him work and act many incentives are offered. Thus we see in business, what is called an incentive bonus. In regular services they are offered increments.

Man knows that putting off till tomorrow what one can do today is bad. So there are many maxims like ‘time and tide wait for no man’. ‘Take time by the forelock’; ‘Make hay while the sun shines’. These idioms go to show how society realize the value of time and doing things in time. For time lost is a loss forever and it can’t be brought back. Hence the proverb ‘procrastination is a thief of time.’

Time is a factor which is very important, the more so nowadays. In the jet-age or the ‘Supersonic-age’ everything takes place at a speed which the ancients would never have dreamed of. A generation or so ago it took many days to reach United States of America from Nigeria. Now it is a matter of less than thirteen hours. In order to keep pace with the speed with which things move, man also must know how to act quickly. Suppose one has to fly on a mission or business to a distant place he has to be at the airport very early. A delay of even five minutes would see the plane taken off and his whole program would be causing a lot of chain reactions. Suppose a man fails to turn up at the hour he has fixed for an engagement he would not only lose his face but it may also tell on his future with which his whole life is tied up. The more complex and technological the society grows, the value of time grows equally acute.

Work falls in arrears, means he has to work harder and even faster the next day. This is found among students who often postpone doing their homework and wait for the weekend holiday to come. But when the holiday comes they find it difficult to sit and do their homework while their friends are playing outside. The next day they have to think of ways and means to deceive their teachers when homework has to be passed up.

There is a sense of fulfillment for those people who are punctual and regular in their work. They enjoy a guilt-free conscience. A forcibly true example is the case of health. If there is any ailment one should attend to it immediately. Some people hide their ailments only to suffer later, when it is too late. When one is regular and punctual it adds to his dignity and brings him peace at heart.

It requires principles, discipline and will power to do one’s duty on hand at once. If only one were to keep a record of idle hours it would be astounding to see the sum total of the time. One must develop the philosophy of life quoted in the ‘Village Blacksmith’, ‘Something attempted, something done, earned him a night’s repose’.

​JUNE 12 – THE STORY BEHIND THE SCENE

It was a very unpleasant day in the history of Nigeria. The ugly ones refuse to die but the good ones are truncated, when the ugly ones finally go down six feet below, their crafts live on and they leave a colossal effect mightier than earthquake behind. 

On 29 August, 1992, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (first military president of Nigeria) formed two political parties: Social Democratic party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC). These two political parties produced one presidential candidate each. The SDP presidential candidate was Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola while the NRC presidential candidate was Alhaji Bashiru Tofa. The presidential election between MKO Abiola and Alhaji Tofa came up on June 12, 1993 with Prof. Humphrey Nwosu as the NEC (National Electoral Commission) chairman. MKO Abiola won many votes against his opponent, Tofa but the election was cancelled by Ibrahim Babangida on 23 June, 1993. The Nigerian military was divided on the issue of Abiola, mark IBB to be between the devil and the deep blue see, even though IBB was an evil person in the making.

On 11 June, 1994, Abiola declared himself president and this caused an uproar in the political affairs of the country. Abiola was declared wanted and later arrested and detained on 23 June 1994. Many people fled for safety which was normal including Abiola’s vice, Babagana Kingibe. General Sani Abacha, the devil in human skin told Abiola that he would prevent him from going to court to make any case because he knows how wealthy Abiola is and if given any chance to get court hearing, he will win. However, nothing last forever, not even man with nostrils, Abacha whose loots are always being recovered, died on June 8, 1998 and there was hilarious jubilation all over the country.

Many lives were claimed due to Abiola’s issue. First, was his wife, Kudirat Abiola who was assassinated on 4 June, 1996. About 200 lives were claimed in Lagos, identities not known. Abraham Adesanya was shot severally. While Abiola was in detention, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the first Nigerian to become the secretary general of the common wealth of Nations, told him to surrender so that he can be set free but Abiola refused holding to the fact that he wasn’t fighting for himself but for the masses whose mandates have been confiscated. Abiola secretly wrote all that was discussed between him and Anyaoku, to a man who will always stand for the truth, Gani Fawehinmi. 

Abiola died in detention on 7 July, 1998 and this caused a great chaos in the country, especially Lagos.

Olusegun Obasanjo set up “Truth and Revelation commission during his administration to find the cause of Abiola’s death. The truth was indeed unveiled, bringing light to the darkness, on how Abiola was poisoned with a tea drink. It was painful that OBJ never made further step on the truth revealed instead he said Abiola wasn’t Nigeria’s Messiah. 

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan tried to honour MKO Abiola by renaming Unilag after MKO Abiola’s name, this was abortive as many stood against it.

President Muhammadu Buhari changed the Democracy day from May 29 to June 12 to honour MKO Abiola.

Truth be said, all efforts to honour MKO Abiola still remain political propaganda. Yet, all efforts are appreciated. MKO Abiola lives on in our memory and Nigeria’s history

AMBITION

Ambition provides the spur to action. A target in life is a psychological necessity. A man without an ambition may he likened to a ship without a rudder. “Vaulting ambition” as Shakespeare says may “overleap itself”. What is needed is a realizable aim. Overweening ambition can lead to disastrous consequences.

Ambition, of course, is not confined to physical or worldly matters. In the spiritual realm, too, one’s ambition can be realized. One of the best dressed men in the most fashionable city of Paris walked the dusty streets of Goa and Malacca with a begging bowl in his hand. Francis Xavier, the pleasure-seeking youth, was seized by the yearning not “to suffer the loss of his soul”. His motivation called “faith” gave him wings and he soared to great heights.

The path to our goal is not always strewn with roses. Discovery of truths which we take for granted today brought hardships and loneliness for those who worked untiringly against a mocking world. Louis Pasteur who said that germs cause diseases was scoffed at as ridiculed by “learned” doctors. This indefatigable Frenchman had to spend as much time fighting superstition and skepticism as he had to spend fighting pathogenic bacteria. Again unswerving drive helped Florence Nightigale and Elizabeth Barrett to steer clear of the pride and prejudice of the male-dominated world and realize their ambitions.

Realization of ambition comes sometimes at unexpected moments. William Henry David, for example failed to sell his collection of poems. He published his poems again. One morning, looking down from his cubicle, he found many cars waiting in the muddy lane. He was surprised to learn that the rich people of high social standing had arrived to invite him to dinner for G.B. Shaw had recommended his book. But it should not be surmised that achievement of our aim depends on blind chance. Take the case of the unexpected discovery of penicillin, the wonder drug that has saved millions of lives. True, Alexander Fleming left the bacteria culture carelessly open and this resulted in the discovery. We are, in fact, oblivious of his drive, enthusiasm and initiative which contributed to his success and so to his greatness.

Material shortcomings need not stop us from reaching our goal. Abraham Lincoln could not afford books, so he increased his vocabulary by learning the meanings of words from the old newspaper wrappings from the grocer’s. Even the past poor examination results need not hamper you. Winston Churchill, a great prime minister, one of the architects of Second World War victory, writer, historian, orator and painter failed in his examinations many times and had the unsavory experience of being detained in the same class two or three years. But his ambition made him persevere and finally succeed.

Ambition-sprung actions seem to be very light. Since the work is done in the pleasurable associations of our own desires. Nervous energy expended is cut to the minimum. Paradoxically, hard work ceases to be hard when “ambition- joined”. Consider the willingness with which the Nigerian armed forces undergo the rigorous physical training. 

Teemack used to be an average student in mathematics but today he teaches mathematics at any level in secondary. Also, he failed financial accounting in his high school days which made him dropped it. Yet, he found his direction and today he’s an accountant doing very fine. 

Caution, ambition is good, but if you walk in your ambition you might struggle. Discover your vision to help your ambition without stress.

EXAMINATION….WHY?

After several interaction with pupils and students (especially students), some of them feel to threatened by examination. Seem majority of them do not like it, some will even tell you that, teachers(some) set it to kill them (that’s the lang they use).

The question is:

ARE EXAMINATIONS A FAIR TEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE?

That there must be some measurement or ‘yardstick’ when judging proficiency is universally agreed. The fact that an individual thinks that he had mastered a certain subject or craft is not in itself enough. There must be some outside impersonal test so that other people like school heads or prospective employers can know too. Hence, examinations of all kinds are a traditional part of educational policy in both the world, from the age of ten when selection is made from primary to secondary education, right up to Ordinary Level Certificate Examinations and on to advanced degree course, examinations are set and must be taken in specific subjects and periods or work. Not only are examinations given in theoretical subjects, practical courses ain’t excluded.

Great care is always given by educational establishments to the preparation for examinations. The required and suitable text-books are always covered and “mock” examination and revision are extensively given. The quality of the teaching is generally high. This is important, because all learning, particularly for examinations is two way combination of the efforts of both the teacher and the pupil/student. The pupil/student must, of course, do the necessary work and committing to memory and if he had done so, then he should be able to pass the examination for which he and his teacher have been working.

Examining bodies are fair. They are not the natural enemies of the candidate and are not out either to “trap” or “trick” them. Hence, in all subjects a very wide choice of topics is almost invariably given. This, of course, is a considerable help to the candidate because out of such a choice, there are almost certain to be several questions that he can answer really well.

Facts speak for themselves and it is true that successful people do not criticize the system. it is the failures who do and who say that examinations are not a fair test of knowledge. The truth is that the failures have not done a sufficient amount of work and even they, it must be remembered are always given a second chance !

The real criticism may be that examinations take no account of the human factor.

It is human beings who take them and therefore, human failings and limitations are bound to enter into any assessment of the problem.

There is first of all, the very nervous student who may well have learnt the work, attended all the classes and used his brain. Indeed, he may have a very bright brain, capable of original thought as well as of dedication to learning. And yet despite all this, if in the examination room, he really is frightened and “overcome” with nerves, then facts and opinions may well leave his head entirely. His mind will be a blank in extreme cases. For such people, the examination would not be a fair test, but fortunately such people are rare !

Equally human illnesses must be taken into account. A headache, a common cold, minor in themselves can upset a candidate’s entire equilibrium. An ‘upset’ at home, a quarrel with a relationship partner, death of a loved one– all these things can “put a candidate off” and on the examination day contribute to his not doing his best. The fact that some examinations are given when the children are too young and before their mind is fully developed, mature and retentive is another argument against their fairness. This applies particularly to the ones taken between the ages of seven and ten the results of which, educationally, decide the child’s future.

Some educational authorities, realizing the possible unfairness of selection at so early an age have devised an alternative which could apply to other types of examinations as well. The alternative is an assessment by teachers and tutors of semester work and general capabilities. Both of these are open to abuse. Semester work can be copied from books and teachers and tutors can allow personal likes and dislikes to influence their judgment. A really good alternative to examinations has not yet been found, but our present system despite its minor faults is fair and has the approval of wise educational bodies throughout the world

GOOD OR BAD? YOUR CHOICE

Examination is a word that causes sleepless nights, a word that can change a cheerful person into a nervous wreck.

Consider this: An examination is a detailed inspection or analysis of an object or person. For example, an engineer will examine a structure, like a bridge, to see if it is safe. A doctor may conduct a medical examination to gauge whether a patient is healthy. In the school context, it is the students who take the examinations. These are usually a series of comprehensive tests held at the end of each term, year or in the case of professional  examinations, after a few years.

One of the main purposes of school examinations is to improve the quality of education. From the results of the examinations, the teachers and planners of the curriculum will be able to gauge the extent to which the students have acquired the knowledge and skills of the course material. This would, first of all, provide an evaluation of their teaching methods, so they can improve them, if necessary.

Examinations are also used as a yardstick for measuring the capability of the candidate, for further education or employment. For example, examination results are the main criteria when selecting students for entrance into universities. It is assumed that the examination results would indicate whether or not the student will be able to handle the course. In the case of employment, it is felt that the examination results will indicate whether or not the job seeker has the skills or intelligence to handle the job.

However, does the school examination system provide an accurate yardstick of the candidate’s ability? Albert Einstein, at the age of 16, took the entrance exam to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, but failed and so was rejected by this elite school. Yet, Einstein went on to develop the theory of relativity and quantum theory, winning the Nobel Prize in Physics at the age of 42. Other examples of famous achievers who failed in school examinations would include Thomas Edison and Bill Gates, among others.

One may also question whether the present examination system results in better teaching in schools. In fact, some teachers are so pressured to produce good examination results that they are forced to practise poor teaching methods. They may race through the syllabus, ignoring the fact that the weaker students have not grasped some of the concepts. Some other teachers may concentrate on popular examination topics, ignoring the topics which are rarely tested in the examinations.

Pressure to succeed in examinations may also be detrimental to the students. They may be so filled with anxiety and stress that they do not enjoy their school years. They may be studying only to get good examination results, rather than a sound education. Some of the weaker students, who cannot seem to achieve good examination results, may lose interest in their studies. In extreme cases, students may be so frustrated or disappointed in their results that they may consider ending their lives.

I realise that examinations are necessary and useful in many areas of our lives. However, within the school system, they should be given less emphasis or conducted in a different way. Furthermore, educationists, employers and students themselves should be reminded that examination results may not provide the best assessment of an individual’s talents and capabilities.

EXAMINATION RESULTS VS EMPLOYMENT

I feel that today it is no longer real merit which helps one in landing a good job: rather it is the grade one has secured in an examination. Not only the degrees have multiplied over the years but the possible areas of specialization have also increased. A look at job adverts is an educative experience. The various openings are for men and women who have successfully gained a large number of qualifications. It is imperative for one to have had a consistently bright academic record. A prospective candidate feels he has lost the chance even before having been fairly tried because the paper qualifications stand between him and the final interview.

It is easy enough to guess the way the employers think. They feel that anyone who has had the courage and determination to slog for long hours has proved his capacity for hard work. In the process, they assume, he has also proved his sense of responsibility and reliability. Thus the candidate’s seriousness of purpose stands him in good stead.

But would it not be worthwhile to examine the other side of the case? The person who has slogged hard has perhaps lost all his initiative and has not allowed his imagination scope to develop. In order to be a good examinee one may have to wear blinkers, give up all extra-curricular and time-consuming activities and thus develop a lopsided personality. The qualities required for a good examinee do not always go to make a good administrator or officer or technician.

Firms, employment agencies and prospective employers who attach a great deal of importance to examination results are mistaken in their assessment of the examination system. A written examination is by no means a full proof test of a person’s intelligence. The syllabus seldom changes and in certain cases the questions tend to follow a set pattern. The examination system, besides being subject to many vagaries, leads to memorizing by students. On the other hand, a candidate who may not have fared well where marks and percentage are concerned, may have a fully developed, rich personality. Instead of selecting a few important topics he might have worked hard over the whole syllabus: instead of memorizing, he might have understood and grasped the course. What is more important is his involvement in extra-curricular activities which would have been more sincere and genuine.

The main purpose of education is to teach one how to think, how to act, to develop one’s initiative and to be able to take decisions. In fact, education equips us for facing life, for solving and braving the problems which may confront us from day to day. To link education solely to the examination grades is to distort its meaning, to falsify its essence, and to prove our own inadequacy in such matters.

Many businessmen with great acumen have had no formal training in the trade they pursue, many able administrators may not have had much success in examinations. School dropouts and delinquents have often risen to meet a challenge much more strongly than successful examinees. In many a village in the corners of Nigeria, it is still possible to come across old men and women who store the wisdom of the ages. In today’s world the educational system need not necessarily inculcate sound moral values, and examinations are in no way a real test of brilliance. If I were to choose people it would not bother me how well they have performed in the various examinations, but my concern would be to discover how much they know of their subject and how quick and alert they are in their responses and the way they react to a problem. Thus the interview should be the proper base for selection and not the grading in the examination though it has to be conceded that the minimum grade should have been obtained.   

FINAL NOTE

Examinations are like running a race. It is not always the one who deserves that wins. Some proper training is indeed essential for passing examinations well. With all one’s innate intelligence one may require proper guidance. Some grasp quickly and can do further work by themselves. These ere people with high intelligent quotient. Average people can surely succeed in examinations with positive help. It is something like oiling the wheel. One may know the answer but how it is put and presented makes a lot of difference. Experienced people may show the way. Hence nowadays people seek even outside guidance by having private tuition at home or joining an institute giving expert tuition.

Of course, parents can help; especially in the primary classes. They should be ready to help and also urge their children to do the task but patiently help along.

Teachers should be willing to help whenever they are approached by any student who needs their sincere assistance.

Friends should compare notes and help one another. Take down notes from reference books and discuss them. Forming a team and with a competitive spirit prepare for any examination. 

Examination is good but does not show the real ability of a person.

​NIGERIA @ 58………..THE MAJOR PROBLEMS OF NIGERIA

Is Nigeria truly an independent nation? With the look of the way activities are being done in our dear country, are we supposed to have attained the height of independence? Free from colonial chains but preferred to enjoy indigenous chains! The citizens are perfect at suffering and smiling as if all is well, what a tragedy! Wake up Nigerians, enough of your conscious unconsciousness!
Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has had to grapple with one problem or another and among those problems is that of leadership. Leadership has been a major problem in Nigeria, not only at the top but right from individual’s home. I’ve heard so many disdainful speech, the problem should be corrected from the top. This I think is colossal failure school of thought. The problem should be corrected from the bottom, so when they get to the top, things will be rightly done. Right from the days of the great zik of Africa to the present moment, this problem of leadership has dogged us and has remained a sore point.

The concept of leadership in contemporary Africa is quite different from the universally accepted one. In Nigeria, the concept of leadership is the ability to find one’s way into the government house (whether military or civilian), the ability to stay on as long as one wishes, the ability to bully the masses into submission, the ability to amass wealth and above all to manipulate the machinery of government in order to bring one’s own stooge to occupy the government house. If he finally makes up his mind to leave the scene (government) it may be that he has been shown the way out.

The nation has been crying for a leader who can lead by example, someone who can cause this country to move forward. I think people who are able and willing to lead the nation are not given the chance to rule.

Even if they are given the opportunity their tenure is always short lived. They are either assassinated or removed forcefully by coup plotting(in the military era) yet worst in the civilian rule.

Having said much about the leadership let us now shift our attention to the followership. Leaders do not exist in a vacuum, right? Whatever attitude our leaders exhibits is determined by the expectation of the larger society.

If we look at this situation critically during political campaigns and rallies, we would discover that it is the followers that engage in acts of hooliganism, electoral mal-practices, rioting, vandalization etc.

The innocent citizens (not the non-voters, that believe their votes do not count……poor mentality) of this great nation bored the followed consequences of these heinous acts. Most of the things destroyed are of benefits to the followers.

Both the leaders and the followers are then obviously guilty of our country’s social ills. Let us all examine our conscience and ask if we are being fair to ourselves and others.

It is not enough to make noise about those who “govern” us, we must also remove the log of irresponsibility, violence, hooliganism from our eyes and fulfill our own side of the game.

Our leaders too must dismiss the habit of embezzlement, corruption, financial fraud etc. They should make sure the business of governance is run the way it is supposed to be. Do something today to change the trend and make our society/ our country a better place for living.

EXPECT LESS: TOO MUCH EXPECTATION WILL HURT YOU

Whenever I’m with some of my friends, family and even foes. There is something I tell them in the journey of our discussion; it is “PEOPLE CHANGE“. So, why do people change or what caused the change? The answer is ” some people are actually empty, in fact many of them“. Don’t get me wrong, emptiness in this context means not having a broad mind, to be easily maneuvered. The fact that someone is smart, a good speaker, perfect organizer, knows how to settle conflicts, can pray like heaven will fall inter alia, all those ones are gift, they cannot stop emptiness.

An empty person is:
Someone who will support you, only when you support him first.

Someone who will coldly react towards you upon hearing some things about you(even when it’s not true) without intelligent confirmation from you.

Someone who suddenly becomes unhappy about the growth of your success.

To those who care to learn, don’t be disappointed about people’s sudden change in behaviour. Be friend

THE FUTURE OF THE NIGERIAN CHILD IN THE PRESENT DAY SOCIETY

The future of the Nigerian child in the present day society elicits great fear. By future we refer to what we hope for in later times. The future of a child is determined by the present state of the nation. Now, let us observe the present day society and see whether it prepares a good future for the Nigerian child.
On a close observation, one would notice that one of the greatest problems militating against the academic development of students is inadequate teaching materials to enhance learning in schools. Infrastructural facilities are equally insufficient. The atmosphere in many schools today is not conducive for effective teaching and learning. Some laboratories are poorly equipped. A school of thought says ‘to practice is to assimilate’. Students need to engage in practical exercises in the science subjects especially to fully prepare them for a great future.

Today, students don’t show interest in academic work. This should not be. A teacher who is making every effort to get the best out of the students becomes fed up when students show nonchalant attitude to work. The teacher’s effort automatically becomes abortive. Let us look at it this way. The background of a child, the type of company he keeps and the rigidity of the laws of the school he attends go a long way in moulding the child’s character. A neglected child from home seeks succor from his friends in the school. If the friends are bad, what do we expect from him to be?
If this situation continues, in future, the only thing the country will produce will be people who are not fit to handle the country, even though it is in the present, but should we hope for more?

Presently, Nigeria still rears corrupt citizens. Bribery and corruption is practiced in every nook and cranny. How then can we build our youths to become better citizens in future? Take for instance what happens when one is seeking admission to a school. One has to pay a large sum of money as bribe in most schools today. This does not exclude the primary schools. Merits no longer emphasized; what is emphasized is “MONEY”. Can this be seen as a way of preparing the youths for the future?

Also, many educated youths who have certificates and power of intelligence to prove their qualifications find it difficult to secure good jobs. There was the case of four university graduates who went out in search of jobs upon the completion of their youth service but found none. They lost confidence in the society due t frustration. Tell me, would people even admit that they are educated when they see them poorly dressed? Of course they would not. These graduates eventually devised alternative means of survival by becoming prostitues, kdnappers and drug addicts. I’m not in support of that because that shouldn’t be the best way out for a sane person, but the society caused it and a frustrated person can’t have a sound mind, do you agree? Is tis then the foundation we intend to lay for tomorrow’s leaders?

It is disheartening to note that Nigeria which happens to be a member of the Organisation of Petroleum exporting Countries (OPEC) still experiences fuel scarcity. How then do we expect children to go to school unhindered? Would mobility not be affected negatively? Would school attendance and academic not be affected?

In order to rekindle the desire for sound education in Nigeria and make our dream for a brighter future possible, every citizen has to work assiduously for this. The Nigerian students have got the greatest part to play. Let us utilize our brain and make people proud of us instead of behaving as if we are ignorant of our purpose in school. We should always do those things we know are right and all efforts will be generously rewarded by God because He knows that we are the future of our country.

It will be of great benefit to the Nigerian child in particular and to the country in general if the present decadence in the society is addressed for the future to be colourful. Our leaders must prepare the Nigerian child for a brighter future. Whatever knowledge is imparted to the children today will definitely have a positive or negative impact on them. So, it is the duty of the Nigerian leaders to rectify the mistakes of the present so as to make our future colourful and assured.

​PORTRAIT OF A MODEL STUDENT (by:Mrs P.O. Okoh, a Counsellor)

Perhaps, before we sketch the portrait of a model student, we have to set out his silhouette by clarifying the word ‘model’ in our context. Model is dictionary defined among other things, as a person or thing purposed for imitation. It is the natural tendency for all rational beings to seek to imitate that which is wholesome. This is not to say that the anti-thesis to that position to that does not exist. In other words, unwholesome acts also have their patrons among rational minds. Happily, all societies have their ways of sanctioning such acts to prevent them from being eulogized.
Ultimately, therefore only that which is wholesome is worthy of emulation. From the foregoing, we can already see the silhouette if not the actual visage of a model. Now from the latter.

A model student is both an example and inspiration to his contemporaries. No child, no matter his pedigree is born as a model student. It is simply not inherited and not exclusive to any person or group. That means that it is a status earned on individual merit. This further implies that it is something to be worked at and attained by a deliberate or conscious effort.

What then are the qualities to be coveted, nourished and sustained by a student seeking to be a role model for others?

Such student must imbibe the virtues of hard work. He must be well disposed to, and capable of, prodigious amounts of work. This attribute in turn, will teach him to place a high premium on his time. Consequently, without any special effort,, he eschews truancy, frivolities and gossipy circles, and devotes his time to studies and other productive activities.

Another quality to be cultivated and nurtured is that of moral uprightness. A student that is morally upstanding will be law abiding and averse to whatever is offensive to social norms and values. Efforts in this direction are rewarding and less tedious if the child is God fearing. For then his every step and conduct will be in accordance with divine injunctions.

An aspirant to the status of a model student must also be cognisant of the essence of his school pupilage. He should be able to appreciate that going to school is, to use the hackneyed phrase, not an end in itself but only as a means to an end. He is expected to have a clear vision of what he desires to become in future, compatible of course, with the unfolding aptitudes and predilections. This will in turn guide his academic and sundry pursuits, including his choice of subjects, towards the realization of the envisaged end. Contrary-wise, a student who is in school for the sake of being in school will be afflicted with a blurred vision of his future. He will never be cited for exemplary conduct and will more likely than not, end up half-baked, an excuse for, rather than an example of a model student.

A judicious combination of the aforesaid qualities will no doubt, result in the creation of a student who is methodical and reflective, astute and incisive, equal to every challenge, a source of pride to his parents and institution, God fearing and therefore a model, worthy of emulation. That is a status every student properly so called should aspire to achieve.