The recent revelation that over 26,000 public school students in Lagos failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) should concern not only the government but every one of us who holds a stake in Nigeria’s educational future. As an educator who interacts with young people daily, I witness first-hand how complex the problems are and how urgently we must respond with lasting solutions.
While the Lagos State Government, under Governor Sanwo-Olu, has made commendable investments in infrastructure and examination sponsorship—with over ₦1.5 billion spent on WAEC fees alone—academic success cannot be achieved through infrastructure alone. There are deeper, more pressing issues we must confront: discipline, distractions, motivation and the overall value society places on education.
Discipline and the Social Media Distraction
One of the most glaring challenges in today’s secondary schools is the decline in discipline and academic focus, largely due to unregulated access to social media. Students are spending more time on TikTok, Instagram and similar platforms, even during school hours. I have encountered students who struggle to focus for twenty minutes in class yet spend hours recording dance challenges. We are raising a generation connected to everything yet grounded in very little.
There is an urgent need for schools and the government to review and reinforce policies on student discipline. Digital tools are not the enemy, but we must teach students how to use them responsibly. Lagos schools require digital literacy education just as much as subject knowledge.
Changing Aspirations and Societal Pressure
There is also the growing influence of quick money, fraudulent lifestyles and the glorification of fame over education. Many young people are being lured into internet fraud, transactional relationships or believe that school is unnecessary as long as they can acquire a skill and start hustling. This shift in mindset is concerning. Skills acquisition is important, but it should complement formal education, not replace it.
Teachers: The Forgotten Heroes
We must also speak about teachers, who are the backbone of any functioning education system. How can we expect excellent performance when many teachers are underpaid, overworked and undervalued? A teacher who cannot afford basic necessities or transport fares will struggle to bring enthusiasm into the classroom. For education to thrive, teachers must be treated as professionals, given continuous training and paid decent salaries.
A Holistic Approach is Needed
Lagos’ new initiative to broadcast 320 lessons across ten subjects is a commendable step, but it must be supported with mentorship, parental involvement, school-level monitoring and proper feedback systems. Students need to understand that success is a product of hard work, not shortcuts.
This WASSCE result reflects all of us—parents, teachers, leaders and society at large. It is not merely the students who have failed, but a wider failure of systems, values and priorities. Let us take this as the urgent call to action that it is and begin to rebuild education from the ground up. Our children deserve better.
Folaranmi Ajayi is an educator and youth mentor. He writes on issues at the intersection of education, youth development and national progress.
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