Army launches curriculum on basic critical thinking, judgment 

Troops Rescue Zamfara Village As Bandits Kill FRSC Officer
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, yesterday launched three books that would help the army tackle some of the security challenges facing the country.

This followed efforts to enhance the capacity of its personnel in creativity and innovation in the application of critical thinking and judgment.

A statement by Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen Sani Usman in Abuja said the books written by Col. Charles Dalo Nengite, became imperative given the fact that the adversaries being engaged by most militaries are becoming wiser and more unpredictable.

The launching of the books was part of the activities at the just concluded COAS’s Combined Second and Third Quarter Conference, which took place from September 18-20, 2017 at the Army Headquarters Command Officers’ Mess Abuja.

The three books are: “Curriculum for Basic Critical Thinking and Judgment”, “Curriculum for Self-Awareness in Critical Thinking and Judgment” and
“Curriculum for Advanced Critical Thinking and Judgment.

A fourth was a handbook on “Curriculum for Self-Awareness in Critical Thinking and Judgment Workbook”.

Unveiling the books, Buratai, who was represented by Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Maj. Gen Chris Jemitola, said top military and management experts have rated critical thinking as the most important skill set for the 21st complex strategic environment.

He said the books were invaluable to the cultivation of improved process for decision making, especially for future wars, which will not necessarily be won by those with superior weapons but possibly by those who have the ability to be creative and innovative in the application of critical thinking.

“It is now a fact that the adversaries being engaged by most militaries are becoming wiser and more unpredictable.

“Therefore, to be ahead of them, militaries must ensure they have an adaptive mindset that is realistic, open and unassuming, which no doubt requires the need to be aware of biases, logical fallacies and assumptions,” Buratai said.

Reviewing the books, Brigadier General Charles Ofoche, who is also Director of Studies at the Army War College Nigeria, said the world order was under constant threats and therefore, some military strategists are of the opinion that military officers should have a change of mindset and mental model to successfully operate in the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment.

He said to achieve this Critical Thinking was a valuable tool in this regard, noting that the books were built on Professor Steven Gerras’ approach to learning Critical Thinking and judgment, which hinges on three cardinal points.

The author of the book, Colonel Charles Dalo Nengite attended the United States Army War College and bagged six Distinguished Awards and Honours, as well as the COAS Commendation Award in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, troops of 223 Battalion, 1 Division of the Nigerian Army yesterday rescued residents of Tsafe in Tsafe local council of Zamfara State from armed bandits.

But before the troops’ intervened by killing one of the bandits, the bandits had killed an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

A statement by Army spokesman, Brig Gen Sani Usman, yesterday in Abuja, said the troops of 223 Battalion, 1 Division, thwarted efforts of the suspected armed bandits that besieged Tsafe, adding that the bandits were in Tsafe to cause mayhem.