By Maryam Abeeb
Scholars in various fields of learning, have called for the review of curriculum across various levels of education in the country.
The stakeholders, who also called for allocation of more resources to the education sector, explained that this is necessary in order to improve the quality of education and achieve better result that will meet the expectations of present day challenges.
They spoke at the 10th anniversary of Erudite Millennium, held at the university of Ibadan, stressing that the quality of education in Nigeria cannot improve if those who should be involved in the development of curriculum at all levels are not engaged to do so.
Those who spoke at the event which coincided with the launch of a book, “New Dimensions in English” included a Professor of linguistics, Professor Francis Egbokhare; a former Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Professor Clement Kolawole; South West Zonal Director of National Examination Council (NECO), Mrs. Folake Eweje; Acting Director, Academic Staff Training of Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND), Abdullah Baba Imam; representative of Executive Secretary of National Commission for College of Educations in Nigeria, Abdulrazak Badmus and Erudite founder, Mr. Saheed Oladele.
Others were Oyo South Senatorial candidate of Accord in 2023, Mr. Kolapo Kola-Daisi; a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ogun and Osun States, Professor Abdulganiy Raji; former National Commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Hajia Aminah Zakari and Founder of Heritage Global Academy, Mr. Lukman Molumo.
Egbokhare, while leading the discussion session titled: “Education in the developed world and in Nigeria: The way forward,” lamented that the best trained professionals are moving out of the country because of the kind of system the country operates.
He said: “The best hands are leaving the country. Let us look at our society. Let us look at the balance. There is a need to reform the educational system.”
Kolawole in his presentation, insisted that all stakeholders including the teachers, parents and the policy makers must be involved to produce a new curriculum so as to meet the present day demands.
“Nobody can know you more than you. We must get people involved. Let the curriculum be designed by the people. Enough of swallowing education curriculum from the western world, we need to redesign our curriculum to move forward. We must engage the stakeholders to make our curriculum useful.”
Molumo said that there will be no progress if curriculum designed many years ago is not reviewed.
“It is no exaggeration that the education we have yesterday and the one we have today need surgical operation because what we were aiming at as a nation yesterday is radically different from what the nation is producing today.”
“If we are not changing the current curriculum we have today, then there is a problem because there’s a disconnect between the town and the gown. There are jobs in the society but we don’t have graduates with the right skill set to get them done.”
Kola-Daisi in his remark, called for allocation of more resources to improve the standard of education in the country.
“When we start to allocate the required resources, it will improve the standard, not only in the classroom but the welfare of the teachers.”
