Achieving equitable quality education and lifelong learning on a sustainable basis by 2030 are part of the Sustainable Development Goals which Nigeria, along with other heads of states, signed up to last year. This piece therefore provides insight on how Nigeria can enhance her chances of achieving this goal, re-establish our lost national values, and stamp out corruption from the root. In doing so, I intend to: Provide insight into an on-going study in Lagos schools to demonstrate the impact of parental involvement in education on child performance in school, and lifelong learning; Discuss the approach adopted in schools and the role of the Institute for Work and Family Integration (IWFI) to ensure quality education for the child, and lifelong learning; Comparing the national performance of candidates at the West African Examination Council Senior Secondary School (SSS WAEC) Exams; it makes evident, quantum improvement in the quality of education in virtues, and education that is possible with parental involvement; Finally, it affirms that leadership training in the family, makes for better families, better educated child, better prepared for lifelong learning. I will conclude by highlighting some of the implications of the current educational realities in Nigeria.
Background
By way of background let me quickly talk about Nigeria and Lagos State. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with a population of about 170million people, with diverse ethnic, cultural, religious and socio-economic life; all of which impact on the family and the education of the child.
About 12 percent or 20million Nigerians live in Lagos State; the nation’s commercial capital. This city state, notorious for long commutes and long work hours, more often than not, constrain parents from performing their critical role fully, as the first educatorsand advocate for their child; in both public and private schools. Nigeria, like most other countries, has significant disparity in the quality of education, more often reflecting on household income.
IWFI (Institute for Work and Family Integration)
However, before I discuss the topic, let me quickly state that the Institute for Work and Family Integration (IWFI), is a research advocacy and educational organization, focused on issues affecting work and family in today’s changing world with the purpose of providing solutions for a fulfilled family life and enhanced work productivity.
Parental involvement in education in Lagos, Nigeria
Parental involvement in education was taken for granted as the norm, when parents and/or guardians as the first teachers took responsibility, as part of child upbringing, to monitor and follow-up on the child’s activities in school, ensuring homework are done, collaborating with the school to ensure good behaviour and learning habits are inculcated in the child. Then teachers took time to brief parents on the actives of their child, and in the rural areas, even visited parents at home to agree on strategies for the right outcome.
However, this natural and age long practice in Nigeria was challenged during the military intervention in governance. These periods of our national history witnessed the suppression of individual rights and parental rights to the education of their child, the destruction of national values, contradictory socio-economic behaviors of leaders, in government and at home, and the emergence of cult culture and vices in schools.
Today, fifty years hence, after the first military intervention, Nigeria unfortunately has one of the largest number of out-of-school children in the world, estimated at about 10.5million primary school children, according to the 2012 UN special report on education. Furthermore, the children of that era are now parents, and education, instead of being a mutual collaboration between families and the schools, we have witnessed significant “outsourcing” and delegation of parental responsibilities, with limited involvement of families.
Parents tend to leave home very early to stay ahead of the traffic, and return late to avoid same. Thus, they are often constrained from their role as the first educators and advocate for their child in both public and private schools.
Impact of work-family conflict on the education of the child
Against this background, the IWFI entered a partnership agreement with the Lagos Business School of the Pan Atlantic University, to establish a research team, headed by Dr. Eugene Ohu, and supported by the University of Houston. With the approval of the Lagos state government, the team gathered data from public and private secondary schools across different areas in the state, essentially covering the different income levels; high – Victoria Island and Lekki, middle – Surulere, and low – Ajegunle. The overall research objective was to understand amongst others, the impact of work-family conflict on the child’s education and recommend strategies for improving family well-being and the education of the child.
Their findings confirmed that 73% of families in the engaged schools are dual income families; that is, husband and wife are working. Furthermore it revealed that stress occasioned by work-family conflicts relates negatively (and quite strongly) on child performance. It also reported that these children were more likely to be in poorer health, on the average when compared with their peers. Finally, it shows that children with less parental involvement were more likely to have behavioural problems.
This paper was presented by Engr. Charles A. Osezua, (President, Institute for Work and Family Integration (IWFI); Chairman, Board of Trustees, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Nigeria) at the IFFD Briefing to the United Nations Session of the Commission for Social Development. Feb. 10, 2016.
CHARLES A. OSEZUA
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