Nexus between Drug Abuse and Examinations Failure by John Nwanibeze Odili
State Correspondent
On the 27th October, 2022 the Delta State University, Abraka organized its 94th, in the Series Inaugural lectures.
Prof. Andy Ogochukwu Egwunyenga, the Vice Chancellor led the University to the occasion. Prof. John Nwanibeze Odili of Faculty of Education was the 94th in the Series lecturer. The Prof. served the University in various capacities and one time secretary to the Senate of the University. Currently, he is on Sabbatical Leave with the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board ( JAMB), Abuja.
The professor is an expert in Measurement and Evaluation.
His paper titled: “Managing Item Bias in Educational Assessment in a Pluralistic Society for Testing and National Integration” examined four years failure of students in public examinations: WAEC and JAMB. It was discovered that only 30% passed and gained admission into the University. The questions that resonated from the paper are : where are the remaining 70% of our teeming youths that sat for WAEC and JAMB and failed? What provisions have been made by the society to accommodate them?
The paper inferred that Some of them fall to the wrong hands of drug abuse and trafficking, breaking of pipelines to extract crude oil. Militia Army for insurgency and terrorism, kidnapping and so many other crimes and criminalities.
Their population continues to increase annually, thereby overstretching the security agencies like Nigerian Police, NDLEA, DSS, NSCDC etc. These agencies particularly NDLEA mission is to eradiate, reduce and suppress abuse of drug; the task becomes onerous.
The implication – difficulty in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 and 4. Health for all and Education for all 2030.
Way forward.
Drug Abuse is a choice and health challenge in Nigeria and the world in general. Persons living with challenges of drug need care and treatment. The should not be stigmatized for a fault that’s out of their control, created by the societal factor(s).
Federal and State government and should build rehabilitation center to rehabilitate and reintegrate them to the society.
Lay less emphasis on paper qualifications and the Ministry of Education should re-strategize our curriculum. To what individual can do than this our certificate based education structure.
Note that construction of rehabilitation centers will also provide employment.
We cannot met OPEC quota own lack of employment. That forced our youth to pipeline vandalization.
The economy suffers when you refused to fully engage the youth.
