Expert urges school authorities, parents to prioritise students’ education
By Vivian Emoni
The Youths in International Trade and Commerce (OY-ITC), an NGO, has called on school authorities, especially private schools and parents to prioritise students’ education to enhance their knowledge.
Dr Chinedu Amadi, President of the NGO, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday in Abuja.
Amadi also said that the school authorities should equip students with skills to empower them to be more sufficient and promote the culture of continuous learning for professional development.
He said that students were more concerned with fashion and social standing at prom than the progress of their academics.
He expressed worry over the act, adding that the right values of discipline, moderation and long-term focus should be instilled instead.
He noted that the celebration of prom at the end of nursery, primary and secondary school levels, has taken firm root in Nigeria’s educational landscape.
The president stressed that a Western concept tied to high school graduation, prom, has now become a full-blown social affair in many Nigerian schools.
“Complete with ball gowns, tuxedos, rented limousines, red carpet events and lavish photography sessions.
“While on the surface this may seem like a harmless and even celebratory tradition, it is worth asking: Is this truly what our children and society need right now?’’
According to him, it is becoming common to see students more concerned with their appearance and social standing at prom than their academic progress.
“Parents are pressured into spending exorbitantly, sometimes beyond their means, just to meet the unrealistic expectations set by schools and peers.
“This materialism does little to instil right values of discipline, moderation and long-term focus.
“It is time for school authorities, parents, guidance and policymakers to reflect on this growing trend.
“The emphasis in our education system should remain on knowledge acquisition, moral development and skill-building.
“Ceremonies marking the end of academic stages should reinforce these values, not distract from them,” he said.
Amadi said that transition from secondary school should ideally be a moment of reflection, focus and preparation for the next academic phase, usually university or other forms of tertiary education.
“Yet, what we increasingly see are students excessively investing in prom fashion, luxury spending and social media validation, rather than examination results, university admission requirements or skill development.
“Even more worrying is the creeping culture of “graduation proms” for nursery and primary school children.
“At these tender ages, children are dressed in ball gowns and suits, ushered onto red carpets, and made to mimic adult behaviour for the sake of photos and videos.
“This not only sexualises childhood to some extent, but also exposes children prematurely to consumerist and superficial social pressures,” he said.
He said instead of celebrating learning milestones with academic recognition, storytelling, cultural displays or modest family-oriented gatherings; the focus has shifted to appearance, ostentation and social comparison.
He advised that if such prom-style celebrations must occur at all, it should be simplified age-appropriate and budget-friendly.
The NGO president added that parents and school authorities must be guided to see that these events are not necessary for educational fulfilment.
He said that a child’s success should not be measured by how extravagant their prom was, but by the quality of education, discipline and purpose with which they leave school.
“Nigeria is a developing country with enormous educational challenges from underfunded public schools to examination malpractice and declining academic standards.
“In such a context, the increasing obsession with prom is not only misplaced, it is harmful. If unchecked, it risks creating a generation of youth more focused on vanity than value.
“The culture of celebration should not be eradicated, but redefined. Let us celebrate excellence, character and hard work and not just fashion and fanfare,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Francis Onyeukwu
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