‘There is need for paradigm shift in education curriculum for national development’

Stakeholders in the sector have stressed the need for a paradigm shift in the country’s education sector for Nigeria to make progress.

The stakeholders, including the Director of Baptist Mission Schools, Dr Tide Olalere; an education administrator, Dr Muyiwa Bamgbose; as well as leaders from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana said the country must change its curriculum to produce a competent workforce for national development. 

They spoke at the SGI Finland 2022 organised by Education Initiative Nigeria (EIN), in conjunction with the University of Oulo, Finland, which was held at Lead City University, Ibadan.

The event also provided an opportunity to reward some stakeholders for their contribution to educational development.

One of the awardees is the Director of Baptist Mission Schools, Olalere, who has been a teacher for about 30 years. He was given the Africa Education Leader Award (AFELA), which is one of the highest education awards in Africa in terms of scope, attendance and others.  

Speaking with The Guardian after the award, Olalere said the time has come to change teaching methodology.

He said: “We have done well in teaching children theoretically, students learn cram and pass examinations. We need to move to the level of teaching skills and allowing children to think, create and invent. You would agree with me that Nigerian children are blessed; some of our students abroad are doing excellently well. It is a factor of the environment. We need to change the environment, we need to look at the curriculum and make some changes. Allow our children more freedom in terms of thinking, creating and providing the enabling environment, resources and materials for them to begin to produce things, even from the primary school level.  They can do it.”  

“We just need to move to that level so that by the time children are through with their elementary education, they will continue to engage in practical education. It will be very easy for some of them to graduate from technical colleges.

On his part, Bamgbose said: “The major problem in our education is that we overdo things for our children.  There must be a paradigm shift. Teach them competence.