Show Them the Money!

Nigeria’s reputation of being a country filled with corruption is not exaggerated based on the almost daily accounts in local newspapers.  Elected and appointed officials are referred to “big men” and “big women” not just for the power wielded in their positions, but also for the material wealth gained through a system of skimming contracts.  Whether it’s the power system, oil related industries, building and supplying resources for schools, or teacher appointments, often there are multiple middle-men.  As a result, there is no place in the country that has constant non-generator assisted power unless Naira changes hands. The cost of oil products and by- products is extremely high and some teachers share their salaries and stipends with those officials who assist them in gaining a position at a school or at a workshop.

The system  is a sad  and growth limiting misuse of great human and natural resources.

But, beyond the systemic corruption, everyone, it seems, expects to get paid for almost everything they do! Public officials who attend meetings, for example with the NGO I work with, expect to get paid a transportation fee by the agency each time they attend a meeting, paid to attend workshops, etc.  (A transportation allowance is paid by the state or local government which they represent )Teachers get paid to attend professional development sessions or meetings they attend representing their schools. (I am an advocate for better compensation and support for teachers, but my position is a little different  about  how its done here)

My greatest frustration (and the reason I am writing about the situation) came while providing a series of professional development workshops for faculty members of the College of Education. Literacy rates in this state among both children and adults are among the lowest in the country.  More than 50% of basic education teacher are not qualified, that is they don’t have the minimum national certification to teach. More than half of those certified are not competent! It stands to reason that a project focused on strengthening the states’ education system would focus on producing better qualified teachers.

In this case, the target is pre-service teacher who will begin their teaching practice at the end of the year and the faculty of the Primary Education Studies Department.  The faculty appeared very enthusiastic about the process of goal setting and developing a work plan to meet those goals. The other part of the process  was instruction on learner centered instructional strategies using literacy and numeracy modules developed by the project,  Lecturers were being asked to infuse the information on learner centered strategies in their instruction.  Copies of the guides will be provided for the students to use in their teaching practice and beyond.

It was when the instructors asked if they were going to get paid to institute these processes that would modernize  instruction and potentially produce better teachers from their college, that I had to take a step back. I had to realize the systemic expectations of the culture with which I was engaged and that the change that is needed will take time.  The answer to the question of compensation was no! An appeal about the bigger picture of this process was made. Hopefully those who buy into the larger vision will be rewarded in other ways.