Re: Catchment Area

Your publication on the above subject refers. One of the policies that encourage mediocrity and laziness and dullness in the admission of students into institutions of higher learning in Nigeria is ‘catchment area’.  To state it metaphorically, it is a stumbling block on the path of students who wish to further their academic pursuit institutions of higher learning Nigeria.

Catchment area policy has denied students admission in their place of abode, birth and immediate environment they are used to.

A child born and bred in a particular environment, who is used to the area over the years but for the sake of admission into higher institution all of a sudden is told that he/she does not belong there.

This ‘anti-unity’ theory has been in existence over the years but today, it has been thrown into the bin of history as  the Federal Government of Nigeria has abolished what can be dubbed ‘anti-intellectual development and anti-merit policy’ .

Catchment area policy has not only traces of anti-intellectual development but retrogressive  and tends to breed massive hatred among the citizenry.

It is anti-intellectual development because a student whose minimum required score to gain admission has been drastically reduced can decide to reduce his reading efforts since the schools in his catchment area  admit students with very low scores.

His drive to carry out research that will develop him intellectually has been weakened. This goes a long way in affecting the collective benefits that could accrue from his research in the community, state, nation even the world at large.

Catchment area policy  discourages education. A child whose academic pursuit at a higher level will lead to his sudden relocation which he is not interested in will rather stop or drop out of school. Not only the child, a parent who cannot afford to foot the bills which have resulted from the change of his child is affected; academic environment or educational institution may decide to stop the child from continuing his education.

Catchment area policy kills students’ ability to think outside the box.

They will end up being local champions. Either shyness or inferiority complex will start hunting them.

Catchment area policy is an enemy of unity in diversity. Rather than give that sense of belonging, it makes people to start thinking that the phrase unity in diversity’ is just a mere paper slogan that does not see the light of the day in practice.

‘Catchment area’ is a phrase that gives room for mediocrity generally, not only in admission into schools of higher learning but in other areas of human endeavour. One can easily relax in doing things on the belief that he will be considered on the basis of catchment area. This kills hard work and creativity.

May God grant this administration more wisdom to expunge the policies that tend to tamper with the unity of our country.

Chiemela N. Agu

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