Stumbling Block for Art Students.
Some things appear logical, professional and the right thing to do. However, these things that appear logical, professional and the right thing to do, most times turn out to become error, unnecessary, and a big stumbling block to the success of people, state, or nation. I have tried to balance the relationship between Mathematics and art students, especially at the secondary school level for a long period of time, but each time I try to do that, I discover that both are in a parallel line and cannot meet. They are like placing two contradictory ideas in the same line of a poem, story, or sentence.
I so much agree with the secondary school system which exposes students in senior secondary school one (SSS1) to all senior secondary school subjects, which include both science and art subjects. However, I do not see the reason why science subjects; especially Mathematics, should be made compulsory for art students who have very little or no need or use for them.
As a teacher who has been in the educational system for a good number of years, I have seen the harm, or better still, havoc this has caused lots of art students. Making Mathematics compulsory also affects the WAEC result of art students, due to the fact that, while they give much time studying Mathematics for the fear of failure, they give little or no time to study art subjects. And when the result comes out, is either they credit only Mathematics and fail other art subjects, or they have poor results in Mathematics and other subjects. I have seen, known, and heard of so many bright and brilliant art students who are at home doing little or nothing because they have not been able to gain admission into the university. Why are they still at home? The answer is not far fetched. They cleared all the art subjects with excellent grades, but Mathematics which has very little or nothing to do with the course they intend to study at the university is holding them down at home.
The question becomes, why force or make it compulsory for students to spend time studying and cracking their young brain on a subject that will be of little or no need or use to them in the course they intend to study in the university in the future? Will Mathematics, especially the in-depth Mathematics, such as, if "k" is the brother of "y", find the rate of their relationship, or if "a" is having a crush on "b", what is the percentage of their friendship, help a journalist or newscaster to write or present news? Does a lawyer need such deep Mathematics to pursue or defend his case? What benefit, help, or assistance does Mathematics have to offer any art incline course? Nothing, yet it is made compulsory to art students who will have no need or benefit from it. One of the claims is that art students will face statistics in the university, which will enable them to write their final year project. Fine, this should be taught to them at 100 level, it does not involve depth Mathematics where Y marries X. If art students must learn Mathematics at the senior secondary school level, it should not be a yardstick for them to gain admission into the university.
No matter how wise, logical, or professional this decision may appear to be, with plausible and brilliant reasons, still, it is unwise and highly unnecessary; I simply call it "fundamental mistake". These students stay at home whiling away their time and future, some become customers to West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) every year; wasting their parents or guidance money because of Mathematics. Not that they are not good or brilliant, they are, but Mathematics that is not in line with their academic life has become a stumbling block or hindrance to their success.
So many people in Nigeria, especially in the academic system have viewed art students who could not comprehend Mathematics and/or credit it in their West African Examinations Council (WAEC) as lazy and un-brilliant students. This view or belief, however, is erroneous. One must not be good at Mathematics before he/she can be a hard-working and brilliant student. In every area of life, there are things one is good at, and there are also things one is not good at. An art student has an area of interest; what he/she likes and wants to become in life. This is what he/she will be devoted to. Introducing any other thing that is of no interest and that is not in line with his/her vision, passion or goal in life will become a distraction, a hindrance and a stumbling block to him/her, rather than being a help or assistance. Instead of seeing Mathematics with the erroneous eyes of most of the Nigerian academicians to art students, I see Mathematics as what it really is to art students. Instead of help, assistance, building and developing art students' academic lives and future, I see Mathematics as a hindrance and a big stumbling block to art students, especially brilliant art students.
An idle mind they say is the devil's workshop. When a student goes through the hurdles of secondary school, seats for West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and clears all the subjects of his/her area of interest (art or science), it becomes highly frustrating for the student to be tied down at home because he/she did not credit a subject that he/she will have little or nothing to do within the university level of education. Just because, though the subject is of no use to the student, yet, it is made compulsory. They are being bored and tied down with so many art unrelated equations in the secondary schools. And when they fail the boring equations, they are denied admission into the university; except those that have father, mother, uncle, or aunt "in power" that can work it out for them. This is one of the acts that promote corruption in the nation. If there is something people with power and influence can do to get their candidates into the university without crediting their Mathematics, then, why make Mathematics compulsory. It does not make any sense. It is a hypocritical disposition, it is like a Rev. Father or Sister who cannot avoid sex yet refuses to marry. This singular act has cost lots of brilliant students admission to the university. And it has also cost lots of them their future, especially the academic future.
While at home frustrated and doing nothing, evil ideas begin to creep into their minds like a snake creeping into a tiny hole. And out of frustration and discouragement, they begin to misbehave and also get involved in so many ills and other social vices. Thereby, becoming a nuisance to themselves, families, and the nation as a whole. And as a result, Mathematics has become a stumbling block, hindrance, and discouragement to these promising futures and destinies.
It, therefore, becomes imperative, important, and/or necessary for Nigeria's educational system to revisit the compulsory nature and/or idea of Mathematics for art students. From senior secondary school two (SSS2), students should be allowed to choose and focus on subjects that are relevant to, and in line with the course, they intend to study at the university. To art students, the nine subjects should be strictly art subjects, and to science students, the subjects should be purely science subjects. The only subject that should be compulsory to both art and science students should be English studies since it is the medium of communication in teaching all the subjects-in secondary school and university levels. This must be done in order to alleviate our students, especially art students from unnecessary stress, struggle, delay, hindrance and frustration Mathematics has caused them and their future, especially academic life pursuit, especially in secondary school levels. However, if the rigid idea that art students must be taught Mathematics in senior secondary examination classes (especially SSS 2 and SSS 3) should continue, then, Mathematics should no longer be the yardstick to determine whether art students gain admission into the university or not. Let's join hands to free art students from Mathematical bondage. Freedom for all art students!
All Rights Reserved
Nwoko Solomon Ikechukwu
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