Bring geography back to education curriculum, association urges govt

Holds 57th yearly conference
Vice President, Association of Nigerian Geographers (ANG), Prof. Kayode Oyeshina, has lamented poor enrolment of secondary schools students in geography subject, even at higher education level.

Speaking at a one-day ‘Career Prospects and Development Workshop for Secondary School Geography Students and Teachers,’ where the group announced activities lined up for the 57th yearly conference at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Oyeshina frowned at the lack of interest on the subject among students. He blamed education authorities and training institutes for not placing premium on the subject despite its importance to national development.

He said the forthcoming conference, scheduled for April 10 through 15, 2016, would focus on ‘The Geographical Perspective on National Development.’ He added that the body would through the forum rekindle interests in the geography of Nigerian development.

He said, “Last year’s convention actually focused on reviving geography in secondary schools. We are taking the approach from two major perspectives – we are working with the Federal Ministry of Education having listened to them on why they actually took out geography; we are pressing it on them to bring geography back to the education curriculum and make it a compulsory subject.