APSON’s state chairman, Emeka Grahams, stated this yesterday, in an interview in Enugu.
He said the migration of students to these centres from Senior Secondary one (SS1) had forced many to abandon their Senior Secondary 2 and 3 before writing their external exams.
Grahams explained that many students, in collaboration with their parents, now engaged in using these centres to pass their West African Examination Council’s exams.
The chairman, who is also the Proprietor, Professor’s Ivy League School, Enugu, said the tutorial centres were not always planned, arranged and regulated like the basic education.
According to him, the manner they operate will not be able to integrate a child to pass through the required basic education based on literacy, numeracy and lifestyle.
It was in those centres, he said, “That they become cultists, smokers and commit all kinds of crime.
“In school, we monitor students and ensure that they are on the right track, but in miracle centres, no one cares what they do. The pillar and foundation of basic education is the basic lifestyle anchored on morality,” Grahams said.
The chairman stressed that the primary aim of being in school was to inform, educate and transform, which was contrary to any place where people simply acquire mere certificates.
He described proprietors and principals that were involved in tutorial centres and engaged in examination malpractice as business-minded people.
Grahams appealed to parents, school owners and the government to ensure that students complete senior secondary school, before writing their external exams.
He also expressed the collective worry of the private school owners to what he called multiple taxation and levies by the state government and its agencies, describing the situation as worrisome.
According to him, from time to time, officials and representatives of government agencies often come to demand certain amounts from the school owners.
Graham, who is also the proprietor of Professor’s Ivy League School, Enugu, said Nigerians have an erroneous belief that private school owners make millions, without looking at the expenses they incur in running the schools.
“When it comes to the collection of levies, they ask other business owners to pay N2,000, but for private schools, they will ask us to pay N2 million.
“Everyone in the country believes that private school owners are in the money, which is contrary to the reality on the ground.
“Even touts can get up anytime to request money from us, and if any member is not courageous, they will scam him or her. It is a very big challenge and worrisome to us,” he said.
Graham charged members of the association to be on the alert, and enquire from individuals asking them for money their identity.
“Many school owners have suffered from the hands of these people, ” he said.
The chairman also emphasised the need for the state government to support private schools to enable them to attain the approved standard in the state.
Grahams stated that many schools are struggling to come up, while others are ‘hiding’ from the ministry officials in charge of enforcement.
“The government can give them loans to upgrade to the required standard, rather than trying to close them.
“Many of them do not pay tax because they are not recognised, but they enjoy the services of the government, but if they get approval, there will be more revenue for the government,” he said.
EntrepreneurI will say it is very disappointing for the government, which is supposed to protect us, to say such a thing. For a corps member to be posted to a state with poor security, how can you tell him or her to gather a monthly stipend to pay as ransom? It is very disheartening. How much are the youth corps members earning? Besides, most corps members do not receive any money from their parents, as long as they know that the Federal Government is already paying them.
For the Federal Government to say such a thing, means they don’t care about the lives of their citizens and even their children, because these youth corps members are like their children. The Federal Government is supposed to allow each state to have and exercise its powers, instead of waiting for a command from the centre. Each governor is supposed to have power over its security agents so that they can act according to the way they see things. You cannot be in Abuja and give orders on what will happen in Borno it can’t work that way.
Prince Abang
First of all, it is a shame that the government has to say something like this. The corps members are youths that take up the responsibility of serving the nation. This is to say any damage or loss that affect any NYSC member should be the total responsibility of the government. If we look critically at the NYSC anthem, it states; Youths, obey the clarion call. The Nigeria we serve…it is just like telling a child to pay school fees, which he or she knows is the right of their parents to do.
The Federal Government should stop sending corps members to far places. Rather, the prospective ones should serve in their states of origin. The NYSC should even be scrapped because no parent can afford to lose his or her child. Also, every graduate should be given the right to either serve or not. That will help because many of these graduates don’t want to serve. And instead of that, there should be another platform for those that are not interested. It shouldn’t be a must.
Mining expertThough the NYSC has come out to deny the story of distributing pamphlets to its corps members warning them on how to save money to pay the ransom if the eventuality of being kidnapped occurs, the question becomes; does the government give a hoot about its mandate to protect its citizens? Absolutely not. The NYSC scheme was designed to foster reconciliation, reconstruction and rebuilding of the nation through encouraging cultural integration, imparting values of accountability, patriotism and loyalty.
In my opinion, since the citizens have submitted some rights and privileges to the government to ensure in return that their lives and properties are protected, the government should first appreciate that every life of its citizens is safe.
While deploying youth corps members for camping, the government should ensure that all routes and all camps are deployed with adequate security personnel. They should ensure that adequate investments are made in intelligence and information-gathering. Criminals always ensure that they are a step further from the law enforcement officers.
Hence, security agents should always be proactive and envisage what a criminal’s next line of action is. The government should ensure the prosecution of criminal elements, which is seriously lacking as alleged sponsors of banditry, violence is not brought to justice. Rather, they are motivated with juicy positions and thus become feudal lords who are now as powerful as the state within the larger society. Nigeria is today ranked amongst the most impacted country when it comes to insecurity.
So, if the government can’t even protect itself, how will they protect NYSC members? Red alerts concerning bandits should be consistently disseminated to corps members, such as those stated in the alleged pamphlets distributed to corps members. Not just the physical presence of security agents on the roads and NYSC camps is important, the security forces should be motivated and empowered with enough weapons to defend and prevent subsequent attacks. The government should also ensure that NYSC corps members are trained on how to defend themselves, and also on how to sense danger.
Aisha Ahmed
NYSC members should only be posted to areas with enough security. The Place of Primary Assignment, PPA, should provide security. PPAs should provide safe accommodation for corps members, and the Federal Government should create a team that will check on the accommodation given to corps members to ensure their safety. Sometimes, corps members are just posted, without checking the security by the authorities, for the purpose of serving their nation. The government is giving criminals the opportunity to continue their nefarious actions, with that statement asking them to gather their money in case of anything. My advice to corps members is to stay safe and oblige with NYSC security tips because I know that they provide security tips for them in the camp and the environment they are to serve.
Corps memberThe Federal Government is supposed to educate the youths on security tips and give them firsthand information on security issues in various locations in the country. The government is even supposed to advise the corps members serving in states on low security, to be careful about their movement, and not to tell them to gather their money to pay for ransom in case of any emergency. That is not fair.
