WHY MOST STUDENTS FAIL ARABIC AT WAEC LEVEL, BY RASHEED HAASHIM

In my own personal observations, which can be criticized objectively, certain factors hinder the success of students/schools in Arabic at the WAEC level. They are summarised below:

1. Some teachers of Arabic are not deeply rooted in the knowledge of Arabic required by WAEC syllabus. Being a Hafiz of Qur’an is different from being a qualified teacher of Arabic at SSS1-3 level. WAEC syllabus requires every teacher of Arabic at SSS1-3 level to be sound in Arabic syntax and morphology, which comprises subjects like: النحو والصرف.

2. WAEC syllabus requires teachers of Arabic to be sound in the knowledge of الإنشاء as students will be required to write essays in Arabic. Few teachers are deeply rooted in this most especially schools that employ only Qur’an memorisers who may not be vast in this aspect.

3. WAEC syllabus requires teachers of Arabic to be proficient in the knowledge of العروض والقوافي والأدب العربي which will be useful in understanding and analysing some Arabic poems/poetry that must be memorised and analysed in WAEC Arabic examination. Few teachers are experts in this aspect of Arabic.

4. Recommended Arabic literature texts constitute another problem in excelling in WAEC Arabic examination. Those texts are very scarce. One hardly gets them. Authors are not reprinting them as they have low patronage. I could remember vividly that I travelled to University of Ilorin then when I was a teacher of Arabic and Islamic Studies at our enviable Ummul-Qura High School, Amuloko Ibadan, to get few through my indefatigable lecturer, Prof. Zakariyah Idris Oseni. There were still some we didn’t get up till now. Students do lose marks under Arabic literature.

5. Oral Arabic is another component of WAEC syllabus. There is no much problem with this as most teachers are tajwid inclined these days. Alhamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alamin

6. Getting information on historical aspects and contributions of some past and present Arabic scholars to development of Arabic in West Africa has been contributing to students’ failure. The main textbook that contains part—not whole—of these was the book written by my teacher, Prof. Z.I. Oseni, titled: المأدبة العربية. I have my copy. I was there when the book was launched at Unilorin. All schools offering Arabic at WAEC level need a copy of the book. The book has now been revised with some additions.

7. Textbooks that contain different aspects of Arabic being examined in WAEC Arabic examination are not in market or very scarce. As at now, I have not seen any.

8. Arabic as a language is not being spoken in most schools. Arabic teachers who are supposed to encourage students to be speaking the language will be speaking English to them as well. Things fall apart. My school is not an exception. How do you expect students who cannot communicate very well in a language to excel in it!?

9. The periods being allocated for Arabic in most schools can’t allow teachers to cover important aspects of the language. Four to five periods per week, as we do allocate for English, should be done for Arabic as well.

10. Lack of interest in Arabic by students and parents contributes to failure in WAEC Arabic examination. Teachers of Arabic should arouse interest of students and parents in the subject. With the upsurge of Muslim schools around the globe, the demand for Arabic and Qur’an teachers is alarmingly increasing in addition to benefit of understanding one’s religious texts through the language.

11. The WAEC/NECO syllabus needs serious review and adjustment if they are ready to listen to us. The syllabus is somehow difficult to accomplish for schools that combine it with modern education. Even some madrasat students who learn only Arabic-based subjects do fail Arabic in WAEC/GCE. I liberated some of them when they asked me how did I go about it. I gave them some materials to read, which require memorisation of some Arabic poems.
What we need is Arabic syllabus that will make our students to be able to read and understand Islamic texts written in Arabic to understand Islam more not the one for specialists in Arabic subjects like:النحو، الصرف، البلاغة، العروض، الأدب العربي، among others. Various bodies of school proprietors may take it up. Arabic syllabus in use needs serious review I uphold.

12. The NERDC BECE syllabus for JSS classes is okay as it focuses more on Arabic grammar and vocabularies. It is easy to pass.
I do have 100% success in it as well in my school. But for WAEC/NECO Arabic syllabus, it requires more than that.
Schools may even need to employ two-three teachers handling various aspects as highlighted above. We should not relent our efforts. We will get there sooner.

These are few things I can put together on the issue for now. I may add to it later. May Allah elevate the status of our schools. May our schools continue producing righteous and pious future leaders. Amin

Jazakumullahu khairan

Your brother in Deen,
Rasheed A. Haashim,
Proprietor, Muflihun Schools Ibadan,
2nd September 2019.