English and Mathematics shouldn’t be a yardstick to get admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria. There are many intelligent people but they can’t be in tertiary institutions merely because they don’t have English or Mathematics in their O’level while there are some students in tertiary institutions that cannot offer much.
Most of those opportune to gain admission into tertiary institutions cannot offer anything but because their parents paid their way through are exam cheats. But those that don’t have money to pay for expo and cheat note will not pass the exams and this will make some of them to lose interest in education entirely while some will take to crime that will overwhelm the nation
This phenomenon is something that we have to bring an end to because English is not a sign of intelligence, it is just a language. There a lot of people who cannot speak a good English but are very intelligent. On the other hand, there are those who can speak very good English but are not intelligent. So English is a mere language
The advanced countries don’t care about certificates anymore, all they care is what you can offer, Nigeria should not be an exception. We have passed the stage where certificate matters it’s rather what you can offer.
Many people have lost hope in education, having written WAEC and NECO several times without success even though they are intelligent; they can offer a lot when it comes to practical aspects of a particular study.
Many Nigerians have the potential but don’t have the opportunity to explore such potential because they cannot further their studies just because they failed English or Mathematics in their O’level. And there those in tertiary institutions who are not intelligent but got admitted just because they have the connection.
I therefore call on the federal government to take this issue into consideration and please to give people with deficiency a chance to explore their potential and to fulfil their dreams of becoming role models in our society.
Muhammad Uma Shehu,Department of Mass Communications,Abubabakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi, Bauchi state [email protected]
