Federal Character at its best and worst: the unity schools example By Morenike Taire Once upon a time, Federal Government Colleges for boys and girls across the country admitted students from all over the same country. That was the main essence of their existence in the first instance. Apart from being epicenters of academic excellence and almost military discipline by sheer design, they were actual melting points of the best from every region of the country. They were inclusive in every way and eventually this was reflected in their nomenclature as they caught on to the official nickname of Unity schools. In addition, diversity at these institutions was not restricted to Nigeria. Teachers from all over the world including the UK and USA came in significant numbers to teach at Federal Government Colleges. Asians followed the lure of a naira that was stronger than the dollar, and Nigerians schooling abroad were happy to return home to take up teaching jobs there. Of course there were ethnic superiority complexes with the occasional smattering of extremism- there are, even in the world‘s most advanced societies. But these were squashed quickly, clearly and effectively. As time went on, prayers on assembly was done away with to send the clear message that no religion was inferior or superior relative to the other. It had been during the tenure of Jibril Aminu as Education minister, a Moslem from Adamawa state. Aminu is himself a minority and a first generation educated man whose contemporaries at the University of Ibadan where he had studied Medicine in his days firmly attest to his extraordinary academic abilities. These abilities might never have been developed and tapped but for the principles of Federal Character. Unity schools were to become the elite schools of the 70s, 80s and much of the 90s. Top government officials, key traditional rulers and other well-to-do members of the society sought to have their children in one of these schools in their states and localities. The fees were highly subsidized, and were much lower than those of private schools of similar standards, so it had more to do with prestige than showmanship. They lived up- in fact as well as in principle- to their billing as Unity schools. The best children from every state of the Federation had the opportunity to be represented in those schools, and while some states in the North were unable to produce any candidates, others produced candidates who were well below par compared to their peers from the South. There was an obvious under representation of the middle class, and children from the North were likely either to be progeny of rich fathers, or of peasant farmers who took advantage of the once in a lifetime opportunity to shake off the shackles of poverty by the liberating abilities of a free and qualitative education. Invariably, unfortunately, most of the latter would soon drop out, mainly for marital purposes. Despite the fact that a Unity school education for children from the North was virtually free most of the time, costs related to transportation, uniforms and pocket money was often a struggle for peasant parents; and though the railway worked and was the means by which most of such children travelled, the lure of lush dowries from prospective grooms were often too attractive to look away from. Bright futures were truncated for meshes of porridge and vesico-vaginal fistulae. The ones that stayed were not many, but it is interesting to note that while there were wide gaps in the first year between students from the North and those from the South, these gaps gradually closed in the coming years. Invariably, children from the North did about as well in their School Certificate examinations as their Southern contemporaries. This makes a case for a very important theory which can form the basis of further studies and the implementation of the Federal Character policy. In any case, these results are in keeping with extensive global research to suggest that nurture rather than nature is responsible for adult behavior. Of course it is almost unbelievable that Unity schools are fostering anything but unity today. Teachers are on strike for non-payment of salaries. There is infrastructural decay but most importantly, the schools have been over-localized to the extent that the Federal Character basis for which they exist has been all but expunged. Children are now allowed to wear hijabs and other religious gear to school. Raging arguments for or against Federal Character are like arguments about which economic policy is better – capitalism or socialism. They mostly do not touch on the core values upon which the arguments could be based. Rather they attempt to work back from the answers to pre-determined questions. Federal Character is an affirmative action drive, a well practiced global system by which the disadvantaged in society are incorporated and included, with a view to creating stronger links between socio-economic groups for the greater good of all. It is the reason the Jonathan administration reserved 30% of federal ministerial appointments for women; the reason the Nigerian Content law was promulgated for the oil industry. If Federal Character can escape the curses of tribalism and corruption to which Nigerian Unity schools have surrendered, Federal Character policy can actually be used for the greater good. The post Federal Character at its best and worst: the unity schools example appeared first on Vanguard News. from Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2sX9kXR via Naijapounds

By Morenike Taire

Once upon a time, Federal Government Colleges for boys and girls across the country admitted students from all over the same country. That was the main essence of their existence in the first instance.

Apart from being epicenters of academic excellence and almost military discipline by sheer design, they were actual melting points of the best from every region of the country. They were inclusive in every way and eventually this was reflected in their nomenclature as they caught on to the official nickname of Unity schools.

In addition, diversity at these institutions was not restricted to Nigeria. Teachers from all over the world including the UK and USA came in significant numbers to teach at Federal Government Colleges. Asians followed the lure of a naira that was stronger than the dollar, and Nigerians schooling abroad were happy to return home to take up teaching jobs there.

Of course there were ethnic superiority complexes with the occasional smattering of extremism- there are, even in the world‘s most advanced societies. But these were squashed quickly, clearly and effectively. As time went on, prayers on assembly was done away with to send the clear message that no religion was inferior or superior relative to the other. It had been during the tenure of Jibril Aminu as Education minister, a Moslem from Adamawa state.

Aminu is himself a minority and a first generation educated man whose contemporaries at the University of Ibadan where he had studied Medicine in his days firmly attest to his extraordinary academic abilities. These abilities might never have been developed and tapped but for the principles of Federal Character.

Unity schools were to become the elite schools of the 70s, 80s and much of the 90s. Top government officials, key traditional rulers and other well-to-do members of the society sought to have their children in one of these schools in their states and localities. The fees were highly subsidized, and were much lower than those of private schools of similar standards, so it had more to do with prestige than showmanship.

They lived up- in fact as well as in principle- to their billing as Unity schools. The best children from every state of the Federation had the opportunity to be represented in those schools, and while some states in the North were unable to produce any candidates, others produced candidates who were well below par compared to their peers from the South.

There was an obvious under representation of the middle class, and children from the North were likely either to be progeny of rich fathers, or of peasant farmers who took advantage of the once in a lifetime opportunity to shake off the shackles of poverty by the liberating abilities of a free and qualitative education. Invariably, unfortunately, most of the latter would soon drop out, mainly for marital purposes. Despite the fact that a Unity school education for children from the North was virtually free most of the time, costs related to transportation, uniforms and pocket money was often a struggle for peasant parents; and though the railway worked and was the means by which most of such children travelled, the lure of lush dowries from prospective grooms were often too attractive to look away from. Bright futures were truncated for meshes of porridge and vesico-vaginal fistulae.

The ones that stayed were not many, but it is interesting to note that while there were wide gaps in the first year between students from the North and those from the South, these gaps gradually closed in the coming years. Invariably, children from the North did about as well in their School Certificate examinations as their Southern contemporaries.

This makes a case for a very important theory which can form the basis of further studies and the implementation of the Federal Character policy.

In any case, these results are in keeping with extensive global research to suggest that nurture rather than nature is responsible for adult behavior.

Of course it is almost unbelievable that Unity schools are fostering anything but unity today. Teachers are on strike for non-payment of salaries. There is infrastructural decay but most importantly, the schools have been over-localized to the extent that the Federal Character basis for which they exist has been all but expunged. Children are now allowed to wear hijabs and other religious gear to school.

Raging arguments for or against Federal Character are like arguments about which economic policy is better – capitalism or socialism. They mostly do not touch on the core values upon which the arguments could be based. Rather they attempt to work back from the answers to pre-determined questions.

Federal Character is an affirmative action drive, a well practiced global system by which the disadvantaged in society are incorporated and included, with a view to creating stronger links between socio-economic groups for the greater good of all. It is the reason the Jonathan administration reserved 30% of federal ministerial appointments for women; the reason the Nigerian Content law was promulgated for the oil industry. If Federal Character can escape the curses of tribalism and corruption to which Nigerian Unity schools have surrendered, Federal Character policy can actually be used for the greater good.

The post Federal Character at its best and worst: the unity schools example appeared first on Vanguard News.

from Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2sX9kXR
via Naijapounds