By Torough David

Stephanie Shaakaa, a lecturer with the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi has petitioned the Minister of Education against the activities of predator publishers.

Shaakaa is requesting for signatures from parents to boost her petition seeking to stop the organised exploitation of parents who are compelled to continually buy textbooks that are cleverly designed to ensure they cannot be handed down to younger ones.

The university don disclosed this on Wednesday in Makurdi. She said that she has filed a petition to that effect before the Minister of Education to put a stop to the trend which she says holds no benefit for the students but to enrich book publishers.

“The purchase of textbooks has nothing to do with kids. It’s about predator publishers, the collaboration from schools, and the compliance of ignorant parents.

“I’ve seen a parent complaining about spending ₦30,000 on textbooks. That’s a racket. If we had a government with brains, ₦30,000 can provide books for 20 kids, if not more. If you give teachers a variety of books, stop the textbook nonsense, employ teachers and tutors, and give teachers time to prepare notes, ₦30,000 worth of books can teach 100 kids. It just requires goodwill and pedagogical (teaching) innovation.

“That’s what we lack. Goodwill, innovation, and care for the next child other than your own. But you know why that can’t happen? Because it would empower teachers. And empowered teachers empower citizens. Since Babangida crushed the unions and Obasanjo weakened the civil service, education reform in Nigeria has been about crushing teachers. Look what happened to the NUT (Nigerian Union of Teachers). It was first attacked by business interests, then undermined by government policies that destroyed teacher autonomy.

“We’ve reached a point where nothing can be done to make the schools better. We need parents to grow up, admit they haven’t understood the problem, and commit themselves to learn and understand what education is and where the problem with the schools lies. Tell your pastors to do a sermon series on the schools so that you spend your Sunday sermon time learning. Or watch educational programs like ‘Teacher America.’

“And then decide that education is the one thing you will mobilize about in the next elections.

“If the textbooks aren’t a scam, why can’t we hand them down? Why are there new ones every year? We should have reusable books that an older sibling can hand down to their younger siblings.

“I have written a petition to the Minister of Education, I hope I can get a few parents to lend their signatures,” she said.

Daily Asset October 24, 2024