School children risk Psycho-emotional, if indiscriminately promoted–Don warns parents

ILLORIN (Sundiata Post) – Prof. Yunus Fasasi, of the Department of Educational Management of the University of Ilorin has warned parents in Nigeria that school children risk Psycho-emotional problems,

if indiscriminately promoted.Fasasi made the submission in Ilorin, in his paper presentation at the 256th Inaugural Lecture of the University entitled: “

Holding Education Accountable for Resources and Results”.He said: “Parents and stakeholders should be sensitized on psycho-emotional and other consequences inherent in allowing double promotion for their wards”.

Psycho-social problems includes behavioral, emotional, and educational problems, which can severely interfere with everyday functioning of school children.

The don posited that Nigerian education system was designed in stages with a specific number of years as duration in each of the stages.“

Many school pupils are in the habit of entering primary schools before the officially approved age, while many move to another stage without waiting to complete the previous level.“This has led to primary six classes to be phased out in many schools, especially in private schools.

The same practice occurs in senior secondary schools where many pupils decide to take SSCE examination at SS2,” he said.Fasasi warned that the physical, mental, social and emotional developments of the pupils are affected.

According to him, admission of such pupils into schools poses challenges for effective administration and supervision.

He explained further that it also has implications for output in terms of certification and outcome in terms of employability.

The expert in education submitted that the goal of continuous nine year basic education is to ensure that Nigerian citizens acquire the necessary life skills to become self reliant and contribute to the development of society.

Fasasi emphasized the importance of educational supervision, saying it is for positive results and should be encouraged.

He asserts that a nation cannot rise above the quality of its human resources, adding that this underscores the importance of educational supervision whose objective os to ensure high quality human capital development of the nation.

Similarly, the Educationist submitted that proliferation of educational institution does not translate to national development.“Existing government and private educational institutions should be adequately funded to enable them actualise the nation’s educational objectives,” he said. (NAN)