Repairing the Damage

There could not have been any better way for the administration of secondary education to express its indignation. That 600 secondary school teachers could abandon duty for what they assume to be greener pastures is something that couldn’t have kept the administration indifferent. According to the press statement of June 30, 2021, signed by the Minister of Secondary Education, Nalova Lyonga, the greater part of the teachers have left for abroad, the majority in Europe and America. The statement gives the teachers concerned seven days beginning June 30, to report to the Ministry of Secondary Education, department of Human Resources, Room 507 bis with supporting documents to justify their present administrative situation failure of which disciplinary measures will be taken against them. The reasons behind this unfortunate situation are suspected to vary from insecurity in the case of the English-speaking regions of the Northwest and Southwest Regions and the Far North Region hit by persistent Boko Haram attacks; lack of job satisfaction, undesirable transfers, professional misfit and the zeal to do other businesses among others.
Teaching remains a noble profession but from every indication, the nobility of the profession has already been dragged to the ground. And this is really a disturbing situation when one recalls the mad rush for the profession once an entrance examination is announced. Cases abound where several thousand candidates register where only very few, sometimes 10 to 15 positions are wanted. In such cases, not all that score a pass mark are admitted. That is why the rate of corruption is suspected to be very high at the ENS entrance exams. On several occasions, the administration has had to denounce any person taking money and promising a place in for candidates in the Higher Teacher Training College. There are fears and some of these fears are founded, that many get into the profession of teaching not because they like it but because of circumstances. That explains why they would refuse to embrace the challenges of the profession, some of which are teaching in any school and any where in the country. Some will fake reasons in order not to be sent to some particular areas. Some fake marriages to remain in urban areas. Many with business-oriented minds are known to constantly fly out and back for some business deals abroad.  
The consequences have been very telling on the students. In some rural areas, one would find a whole college with v...