Dean, School of Early Childhood Primary Education of Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Otto-Ijanikin, Dr. Elizabeth Aboluwarin, has said it is imperative to bridge the gap between theory and practice in early childhood and care education. This, she said, would bring about better learners.
She spoke at the opening of the 1st Early Childhood Care and Primary Education Studies Conference at Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Otto-Ijanikin, Lagos State.
The three-day conference had as theme: “Resolving conflict between theory and practice on issues in early childhood and primary education.”
Aboluwarin said the conference was aimed at addressing the gaps in theory and practice of early learners.
“It is essential to blend theory and practice in early childhood education. This would let us have well-developed learners. Nowadays, what pupils are taught in the classroom does not reflect on them.
“Parents and teachers should collaborate to inculcate good values and virtues in pupils. There should be no room for vices among our young pupils,” she said.
On addressing moral decline in schools, she said premium should be placed on sex education at an early age.
Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bidemi Bilkis Lafiaji-Okuneye, who was represented by the Deputy Provost, Dr. Adebayo Dawodu, said the conference was a landmark achievement being the first to be held since the college was upgraded to a university.
Chairman of the occasion, Special Adviser on Education to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, who was represented by Mr. Adeniran Kasali, said the Lagos State Government remains committed to improving education.
He said the conference was timely as it would help to address moral decadence among youths.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Esther Oduolowu, a lecturer at the Department of Early Childhood and Educational Foundations, University of Ibadan, noted that the conflict between theories and practice can be resolved when educators acquire new knowledge, skills and information.
She urged teachers to allow pupils interact with their environment to discover things rather than presenting ready-made knowledge to them.
“Teachers should recognise the crucial role of children’s self-initiated, active involvement in learning. As it has been established, children construct their own knowledge.”
However, they should allow them to interact with the environment to discover new things rather than presenting ready knowledge to them,” she said.
Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) Chairman, Wahab Alawiye-King, who was represented by Mr. Sunday Ajibefun, called for sustainable collaboration between LASUBEB and LASUED to address the dearth of teachers in early childhood education.
Six in final lap for Africa’s Math Champion
There are six mathletes left in Cruxlearning Mathematics Contest Africa (CLMCA) as the race for the title of the champion and university scholarship gets to the final lap this week.
Twelve mathletes out of the 18 geniuses from across Africa that started the race have dropped out at different points in the first three weeks as they were evicted because they could not muster enough cerebral stamina to go on in the race of mathematics eggheads.
With over $10,000 university scholarship up for grabs and the bragging rights as Africa’s Math champion, the mathlete with the highest points will go home with this title and the money.
CLMCA is a pan African math contest where over 10,000 year 11 (SS 2) students from 24 African countries started the race through the online qualifying exams from where the top 18 were shortlisted for the stage two of the Reality TV Quiz Show.
It is designed to demystify mathematics, identify and reward outstanding students across the continent for their brilliance in subject and social skills.
The top 18 mathletes were made to understand on the show that there is more to math than just solving equations as they were given different daily activities/tasks in the math lounge, where they met and interacted throughout their stay in the contest.
Their tasks are centered on the application of their knowledge of math and logical reasoning in everyday activities.
Some of their tasks earned them points and at the end of each week, the six with the lowest points earned from the tasks were put up for eviction, which meant they had to participate in the quiz contest and only two mathletes with the highest points from the quiz show could come back to the Mathslounge to continue in the contest while the weakest four would be evicted.
In the past three weeks, the mathletes have been involved with lots of games/tasks such as Mnemonics and Sing-the-Song to test their mental recall abilities, balancing act and hang on which is a test of concentration, speed, precision and focus.
It has been a mix of testing both the intellectual and cognitive abilities of the Mathletes who have each been identified by mathematical symbols. The six mathletes, who have excelled above all others on the journey to be crowned Africa’s Math Champion are: Arc, Root, Alpha, Curve, Axis and Cube. However, Arc, Curve and Axis have never been put up for eviction. Root and Alpha have been to the quiz, had an encounter with the Dean and escaped eviction
Cruxlearning Mathematics Contest Africa is setting the stage to build students and guide them on the path to develop technological solutions to the various challenges affecting Africans and the world at large.
Cruxlearning Mathematics Contest Africa finale will be available to millions of viewers across the world @CruxlearningTV social media channels (YouTube, Facebook & Instagram) and Africa Magic Family Channel 154 Sunday 4pm; AIT Network Sundays 6:30pm; TVC (Lagos) Sunday 5pm; BCOS (Ibadan) Sunday 12pm; Joy PrimeTV (Ghana) Sunday 6pm; TV10 (Rwanda) Sunday 5pm and Urban TV (Uganda) Sunday 11:10am on Sunday May 1st, 2022.