Parents should allow their children to experience challenges —Falana

Reverend Olusegun Falana, Vicar St. John’s Anglican Church, Aperin, Ibadan, Oyo State, is also the vice principal, Emmanuel Alayande Junior Seminary Diocesan Secondary School. The teacher who turns 70 years old today and marks his 35th year of teaching and moulding young Nigerians speaks with BIOLA AZEEZ. Excerpts:

Why did you choose teaching among other professions as a young man?

I wanted to study medicine. We studied Physics, Chemistry, Biology at school, but Biology result was delayed. Other friends went to Igbobi College and so on to repeat the examination, but I couldn’t because of lack of fund. My father advised me to look for a job and train my younger siblings –which I did. Furthering my education after leaving secondary school was difficult. I thought I wouldn’t be able to go further, but God did it. It’s a kind of self-training thing. I was at the University of Lagos in 1977 for Chemistry\Biology Education, since I couldn’t do medicine again, but I withdrew again due to lack of fund.

You’ve been teaching for 35 years now. Looking back, would you call yourself an accomplished teacher?

I became so passionate about teaching. It later became clear to me that it was God’s design because at St. Andrews College I had merit in teaching practice. At College of Education I had merit in Teaching Practice. It was merit too, even at the University level. I was about the best science student at the College of Education.

What can you say about corruption in the nation’s education sector?

It’s a cankerworm that’s been bringing down educational development in Nigeria. All along, you discover that citizens themselves helped in bastardizing education standard in the country. They try to force in their children who may not be competent for one discipline or the other. Parents want to have a say in whatever a child becomes, whereas it is the school that should determine the best discipline to advise a child to pursue. Education is no longer given right priority. Students do not see education as lucrative These are some of the areas where corruption had really ruined the educational system. People go about with fake certificates and it’s when you meet these graduates that you know that corruption is in education.

However, there’s an awareness. A disease known is half cured. Now that we know, there’ll be a time when people who are competent will stand up to do something. There are so many areas of corruption unattended to but with the awareness, one day, solution will come.

Will you say that education standard in the country is improving or falling?

It’s not improving. Some graduates we produce today in Nigeria are not seasoned but half-baked, especially when you talk in terms of your own area of specialization. When you are an employer of labour and you employ a science teacher to teach in the class, you will be embarrassed to see what they teach. I had a similar experience years back, you can imagine we’ve been producing half-baked all along. It’s getting worse.

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How well do you think government can come in to solve the problem?

Right from school, qualified teachers should be interviewed and recruited. Back in the days, there was something called inspectorate division in education and it was super. Supervisors will enter the class and monitor teaching. We need that again. It should start right from the school level to improve education. Education should not be politicised.

How can church too come in?

Most of the church schools have been taken over by the government. The government is now in control. Moral teaching is no longer there. You just sing the national anthem and you start your work for the day without prayers. I think there is a development now where government is trying to give back schools to the missionaries.

What are your words of admonition to parents on aggressive attitude to get their wards successful in education?

Bible says teach your child to give you rest. Right from home, parents should be able to teach their children in the way of the lord. Parents should not give unnecessary assistance to their wards to get admission, to get more marks. You can’t pass through this life without challenges, parents should allow their children to experience challenges and teach them what to do in time of challenges in lawful and legal ways.

What’s your memorable experience as a teacher?

Just recently, a group of students 85/86 set of Methodist Secondary School Elekuro, Ibadan invited me last year to honour me alongside other five old teachers who had helped to shapen their lives. I was surprised. Immediately I entered the hall, they started calling my nickname . I never knew that such kind of day could come, maybe I could have done greater things to impress the children. I was only doing things I love doing. I would teach them extra lesson, I did not  know they were noting it and that it would reflect in their lives. There are professors, well meaning Nigerians among them. That’s almost 30 years away. The lesson here is that whatever you do today, do it with all your zeal.