SEVERE CHALLENGES FACING SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

There are many challenges that are facing the education sector in Africa and have been facing for quite some time now. These challenges affect the students’ educational learning and understanding in big way. The major reasons for the many challenges faced by secondary school students in Africa are due to corruption and selfishness. Politicians would rather embezzle the funds that are allocated for the purpose of developing secondary schools instead of investing in the schools. Most European countries invest in schools, but Africa is not willing to learn. This article seeks to highlight the major challenges faced by secondary school students.

1. Unqualified teachers
A vast majority of most private secondary schools in Africa are only after profit and not on the knowledge that should be impacted on the students. This is one of the major challenges with the education sector in Africa. The private school owners of most private secondary schools employ unqualified teachers who lack the expertise on teaching profession to teach students. This is one of the many reasons why many students end up performing poorly and also one of the root causes of examination malpractices.

2. Poor Infrastructure
When it comes to the level of poor infrastructure, there is no debate that African secondary school students make use of poor infrastructural structure during their studies. This includes the use of poorly built schools, which in turn negatively affects their level of understanding. An example could be, students learning in a class which has little or no roofing; it if happens to rain, what could possibly happen to the students and the teacher teaching them at that particular time? The only result is that either the lesson ends immediately or the students are dismissed for the day.

3. Inadequate payment
Another challenge facing secondary school students in Africa is the inadequate payment of teachers. Teachers being inadequately paid, leads to nationwide teachers’ strikes. This negatively affects students, especially those in their final year. Teachers boycott classes up until a decision is made by the government at the various teachers’ unions. In the mean time, students end up missing on a lot of learning which could later affect them at the end of the term, or during their final examinations, for those in their final year. Paying the teachers good and adequate salaries will make the qualified educated Africans develop an interest in teaching.; and in the long run students will find education rather interesting than stressful.

4. Poor government monitoring
Most governments in Africa do not have monitoring teams. Every government should at least ensure they appoint or elect monitoring teams. These teams help the government by visiting various secondary schools and closely examining the quality of teachers, infrastructural level, and other key areas that need to examine in secondary schools. If this is effectively implemented, secondary schools will reduce the number unqualified teachers, and ensure that students get the best form of quality education that can be.

5. Computer learning
It is no secret that computers are now taking the center stage of learning in the whole world. However, one of the major challenges students face is the non-availability of computer instructors. Despite the fact that computers have been installed, the million dollar question is who will ensure the students learn the computer skills? Employing good instructors that are well paid will help the students to acquire the necessary skills needed in computer.