Should Schools Brace for Impact?

Reflecting on the lock-down measures enforced as a result of the pandemic corona-virus or COVID-19 has plagued some States in Nigeria currently.

I personally believe there are ways technology can help schools (primary, secondary) and institutions (tertiary), to be more effective, efficient and sustainable during and after the COVID-19 era.

Well, I am an optimist; I tend to be very hopeful and confident about the future or the success of most things. In simple words, I believe that good must ultimately prevail over evil, and this pandemic will be history someday.

But I also believe “the dam is broken already”, disruption is already in motion, businesses and business models are evolving and have evolved.

As a friend of academia; primary & secondary schools and also tertiary institutions, I also believe it’s OK to brainstorm, reflect and share insights into how academia can become better with technology, as we reflect considering different points of view.

DISCLAIMER:

This document is aimed to share some insights, and also welcome constructive comments, arguments, criticisms, and debates. I believe it’s actually through honest, open and formal dialogue and also steady contest of ideas, and meaningful debates that great ideas, policies, recommendations or insights emerges.

So you are highly welcome for CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS.

Well, we basically should not waste energy on things we cannot control right? just like the lock-down. The argument should be on how schools can still function effectively with the help of technology during the lock-down and also after the pandemic – this is my thinking really.

Nigeria Digest of Education Statistics https://education.gov.ng/nigeria-digest-of-education-statistics/ has so much meaningful education statistics till 2016.

2016 statistics is a good basis to use since you already know the numbers will have increased by some margins right? but the concept remains the same.

a) Total Number of Primary Schools by Ownership (Public and Private) 2015/2016 is Public is 62,184 and Private 34,717. The total is 96,901.

b) Primary Schools Enrollment by Type (Public and Private) and Gender: 2015/2016 Public is 22,352,326 and Private is 3,238,855. Total is 25,591,181.

c) Enrollment in Private Junior Secondary Schools by State, Class, and Gender: 2015/2016 Male is 526,490 and Female is 525,180. Total is 1,051,670.

d) Teacher Statistics in Junior Secondary Schools by Ownership and Gender: 2015/2016 Total is 292,080 (Public and Private). Male (Private) is 69,181 Female (Private) is 73,260. Total (Private) 142,441.

e) Senior Secondary Schools Enrollment by Ownership (Public and Private) and Gender: 2015/2016 Total (Public and Private) 4,475,309. Male (Private) 467,099 and Female (Private) 444,462. Total (Private) 911,561.

f) Summary of Senior Secondary Schools Teachers by Type and Gender: 2015/2016 Total (Public and Private) 679,159. Male (Private) 144,374 and Female (Private) 136,510. Total (Private) 280,884.

g) Distribution of Universities by Ownership: 2012/2013 Total is 129 (Federal 40, States 39 and Private 50).

h) Number of Undergraduate Students in University Education: 2012/2013 National is 1,274,261 (Federal 761,363; States 438,641; Private 74,257).

i) Private University Undergraduate Enrollment by Institution and Gender: 2012/2013 Total is 74,257 (Male 39,203 and Female 33,750).

So much insightful information on this website https://education.gov.ng/nigeria-digest-of-education-statistics/ and it’s good to know that G Suite was used.

1) I believe parents will reflect on either to change or keep a particular school. They will observe the school’s health and safety strategies. Schools have to improve or step-up here, trust me parents are already reflecting. I also understand that parents will consider so many factors like proximity, already existing relationships built with the school, child or children already have friends and parents won’t want to break their kid's little heart, and also continuous affordability of the school fees e.t.c. but you will be surprised that all these will evaporate in view of health and safety concerns.

2) Well, this pandemic has created disruption and loss of jobs. I believe schools should create some models that may accommodate installment payments for some parents. The truth is that schools that are not adjusting or evolving their strategies to conform to the new realities will lose customers.

3) And schools will also have to create some avenue to embrace technology like using the Google Classroom, which is part of the G Suite for Education and its FREE for schools provided you qualify and also eligible. I am happy to guide schools who are interested, and read more below:

Helping educators and students stay connected

https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/helping-educators-and-students-stay-connected/

4) The Hangout Meet or Google Meet as the case may be will help schools and teachers with video conferencing capabilities.

New Meet features to improve distance learning

https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/meet-for-edu/

I will say this to schools in black and white, this is actually how you can also maintain your current customers and also your current competitive advantage – it’s called “Sustaining Innovation” in Disruptive Strategy.

Reflecting upon Disruptive Innovation at Harvard Business School with Clayton Christensen

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/my-2018-strategy-from-reflecting-upon-disruptive-harvard-otunla/

5) According to Clayton Christensen “Sustaining innovations are improvements to existing solutions on the market and are typically targeted at customers who require better performance from a product or service.”

6) When they create new flavors or colors or features of an existing product so they can generate some excitement in consumers who are already purchasing their product. Well to read more, the book -

“The Prosperity Paradox: How Innovation Can Lift Nations Out of Poverty Book by Clayton Christensen, Efosa Ojomo, and Karen Dillon”.

7) How do schools make money really? Schools receive income from school fees, other fees, grants, and donations e.t.c. and what do they spend this income on? Salaries and wages, stationery, library, general expenses, buildings, annual function expenses, laboratory, out-standings e.t.c. doing the plus and minus of expenditures from income will reveal if a school will be profitable either in the short-run or long-term, it’s not rocket science and technology and automation helps reduce additional overheads on the expenditures, but wait! the income is vital, that’s why you cannot afford to lose customers because that’s where your cash flow comes from.

8) On the other hand, how do schools get funded? Do the buildings grow from the ground all by itself? Well, some proprietors may have loans running from banks, and of course, they have to pay back within the specified period. And we all know that those buildings are an asset, and yes that’s why those banks have great confidence to speedily give out money, because they can see the leverage and they also monitor the cash flows both in and out (banks are really awesome), and that’s why it’s very easy for them to come to a YES or NO decision.

I hope this was informative.

Thank you.????

Aderogba Otunla

CONNECT . INFORM . INSPIRE

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