Revitalising Public Schools in Nigeria for Quality Education and Improved Students Performance: An Analysis of NILDS 2024 Secondary Schools Quiz Competition

Abstract

Nigerian public secondary schools are experiencing a crisis marked by poor teacher remuneration, inadequate teacher-student ratios, deteriorating academic performance, and poor infrastructure. The growing disparity between private and public schools is highlighted by the performance of public secondary schools in the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) 2024 secondary school quiz competition grand finale, which saw only private schools representing the six (6) geo-political zones. Despite legal frameworks and government policies like the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and National Education Revitalisation Strategy (NERS), among other interventions which were put in place to improve Nigeria's basic education system, public secondary schools have continued to underperform. This issue brief outlines the current state of public secondary schools in Nigeria, examines the causes of declining performance, and suggests actionable legislative interventions to revitalise the sector.

Addressing the infrastructure deficit and poor teacher remuneration which are one of the challenges of public secondary schools in Nigeria and for improved performance, the brief hereby recommends among others, the need for infrastructural development, as a conducive learning environment enhances academic performance among students. Also, a need for an increased teachers’ remuneration. This will help to retain and attract the best hands in the public schools, and also motivate teachers towards giving in their best in the discharge of their responsibilities to the country.