By Mustapha Aleem
Arguably, the feud between the country and recession got almost dopper in recent time as it is believed in some quarters that it is not just slugging it out the country and its citizens today.
According to the Hon Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, Nigeria is in Recession, we all knew something was wrong since January following rapid increase in price of goods, without corresponding increase in purchasing power.
Also, slump in crude oil price prolonged. Then came removal of subsidy, following statement that Nigeria can no longer sustain fuel subsidy. Economists have jokingly defined a recession like this: If your neighbor gets laid off, it’s a recession. If you get laid off, it’s a depression. Economists officially define a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth in gross domestic product (GDP).
The National Bureau of Statistics cites “a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months” as the hallmark of a recession.
The remnant from the actions of the recession that has been taking its toll on the country can well be tied to measures people have been taking as special times require special measures, they say.
Coming down to Osun, recession had since hit the state when the revenue allocation witnessed some decline, leaving the government himself helpless of the harsh periods it holds.
As much as all aspects of life are built upon economy – just name it – no one can escape nor be shielded from the wrath of recession when unleashed and that brings us into the topic under treatment, Osun parents transit wards from private to public schools.
Before now, civil servants in the state, except for those below the belt of level four in the civil service ranking, have fancied taking their children or wards to a privately owned school over that of the government in the past but reverse now seem the case as a chunk of them now troop in hundreds to public schools for their child’s education.
Similarly, groaning seem to be the order of the day for some privately owned schools in Osun for they have a handful of arrears to battle with. Some pupils were said to be owing up to two sessions, which is one the reasons why some schools are now grounded and activities halted, leaving their workers to go back to days of job hunt. A lot of pressures have now been shifted on the well to do students in order to strike a balance and the increment in tuition fee is one of them.
Some parents said it was not from the bottom of their heart seeing their wards en route public schools but choice they claim is what they appear to be without.
Our correspondent, while feeling the pulse of parents who have found themselves under the situation, gathered that a good number could not afford to using ungodly means to get rich and so they have had to adjust their family spendings. They argued further that in order not have their efforts go down the drain, they elected to sending their wards over to the hands of the government.
Mr. Segun Olaitan, a level six civil servant in the state, “when I checked my account, I discovered that I can’t cater for the educational needs of my children. They are three in number and they are all in primary school. I pay the sum of 20,000 naira each for their school fees and unfortunately when I weighed my financial status I realized I could only send one of them to school with the money on me.
“So as not to jeopardise their academics, I had to meet my wife to inform her of my intentions and she was able to reason along for she knows I would not have raised such a motion if things had not gone worse.
“I place much priority in education that my last kobo I dont mind spending for such purpose but the situation generally would not just allow me have my children in the right place and I can only hope this step taken does not affect them because, it hurts children psychologically when they see their mates, whom they were once in the same school with, they will feel a bit taken aback. I try to console them and make them happy always so that they don’t feel neglected. Its quite a difficult one.”
Another parent, who deals in car parts and own a shop in Ajegunle, Osogbo, Osun state, Mr.Chucks, said the situation the country has found itself dealt a great punch on his business, lamenting that government workers now prefers to go for ‘korope’ whenever their vehicles develop any fault instead of replacing them. This he said, was responsible for the limping posture of his business.
“Imagine I have just two children, A five and Eight years old children, boy and girl respectively. The go to a well to do private school before but now business is bad and all my debtors have made it difficult for me to continue the momentum with my children because they could not pay up the money they are owing me either.
“Each time I try to give reasons for them to pay my money, they tell me they are in the same shoe. That I am not the only one suffering. Of course, most of the people I know have withdrawn their children from private school and thank God public education is free and the government is already doing wonders with the facilities of schools in Osun.”
However, studies have revealed that, transition of school by a child from a poor background could be catastrophic for the child. Parent’s mobility due to poverty affects a child’s academic performance.
“For instance, in a case of urban-rural migration, a child leaves for a school with poor or less education standard where he becomes a one-eyed man in the land of the blind and a local champion. The child, if once brilliant becomes dull and an average or a poor student becomes dormant. Some might even drop out of schools.
“In cases where there is another change to a better school, such child will have to start from the scratch or repeat a class or more. Some may never be on the same level with their mates thus making them have a slow or no progress in education.”
The study also posits that, “Children tend to lose interest in education if there is frequent change of schools . Class repetitions can discourage them to study since they can be thrown back to junior class anytime. They will lose the morale to be hardworking, dedicated to their study or to succeed because they have the belief that there schools can be changed at anytime. There is a possibility of a child to mingle with the wrong people. Mistakes on the choice of friends can be made and children can be exposed to teenage vices.”
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