The Nation Newspaper

Tag: curriculum?

  • ‘Harmonise Biochemistry curriculum’

    The Nigerian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NSBMB) has called for the harmonization of Biochemistry curriculum across all Nigerian universities with a view to making it locally relevant and internationally-acceptable.

    The Society also called on government to increase funding for research and upgrade facilities needed for effective teaching and learning. These formed part of the resolutions adopted by members of the Society at the end of her 33rd Annual Conference and General Meeting held at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Kwara State.

    The keynote address was delivered by a former Director of Research, Biotechnology Advanced Laboratory, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, Abuja, Prof Godwin Ogbadu, represented by Prof P.C. Onyenekwe, a director in the laboratory.

    The Olumbe Bassir Memorial Lecture was delivered by Prof D.A. Ameh of Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. In addition, there were two plenary lectures presented by Dr. Femi J. Olorunniji of Institute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK and Professor F.C. Chilaka of Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

  • ‘Study new sss curriculum’

    The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Prof Godswill Obioma, has called on teachers to aquaint themselves to use the new Senior Secondary School (SSS) curriculum.

    Obioma said the curriculum has been in existence for the past three years.  He added that NERDC visited Abia State to sensitize teachers about it so they can impart same on their pupils.

    Speaking at a sensitisation and advocacy workshop on the new curriculum in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, Obioma said if the curriculum is duly followed, it would end graduates’ search for white collar jobs.

    Obioma noted that young graduates are finding it difficult to fit into the society simply because they were not properly prepared to face the future.

    “But with the new curriculum, graduates will no longer find life difficult, as they will find something to fall back on after graduation,” he said.

    He said NERDC sensitization workshop would expose the senior secondary school teachers and other stakeholders to the structure and mode of implementation of the new curriculum.

    Obioma, who was represented by Nimrock David, said the curriculum is designed to ensure the actualisation of government’s transformation agenda for national development, “especially in the area of human capital development.”

    Obioma said: “The new Senior Secondary curriculum systematically connects to the contents of the junior secondary education curriculum and diversifies to cater for the differences in talents, opportunities and future roles of individuals. It is developed to provide trained manpower in mathematics/science, technology, humanities and business, technical knowledge and vocational skills necessary for industrial and economic development.”

    He explained that the special features of the new curriculum structure amongst others, are: “the inclusion of trade/entrepreneurship and civic education as a compulsory subjects, adding.

    “They also include the 34 trades developed by NERDC and have been introduced in all the 36 states of the federation; and the first set of graduates were produced this year.”

    In her welcome address, the state Commissioner for Education, Mrs Monica Philips, said the seminar came at a time when education, the mainstay of social, economical and technological advancement of any country requires continuous re-engineering.

    Mrs Phillips, who was represented by the Head, Department of Curriculum Development, Dr Ngozi Nwagbara, said there was need to create awareness among the end users – teachers, pupils, parents and school administrators – for effective implementation.

    Philips explained that the new curriculum would help in rekindling the dwindling interest of pupils in education and correct the trend of producing job seekers instead of employers of labour.

     

  • ‘We have started implementing UBE curriculum’

    ‘We have started implementing UBE curriculum’

    As AOCOED Staff School, Otto/Ijanikin rolled out drums for its 22nd anniversary on Wednesday, the Head Teacher Mr Adetayo Sunday Oguntade, has said the school deserved such celebrations as a way of showing appreciation to God for its numerous achievements one of which is the implementation of the new UBE curriculum.

    “Do not be surprised that AOCOED Staff School has started implementing the New UBE curriculum,” Ogunmade told The Nation at the school premises on Monday. So far we have held two separate seminars for our teachers on how to apply the new curriculum to pupils. We did both theoretical and practical aspects and the outcome was quite impressive.  Remember, we are a school which is an offshoot of a teacher education institution; therefore we cannot afford to lag behind when it comes to delivering qualitative education for which we were set up,” he said.

    Besides, Ogunmade said the school management has also consolidated on teaching methodology which according to him, is now more child-centered; and decorated the classroom environment so that they now appear more appealing to the children. The school, he added, also came atop in local and international competitions, including the David Shepherd Wild Life Foundation in Cultural-Creative Arts competition where the AOCOED School contingent that won travelled down to the United Kingdom to receive their award.

    The school also won the Children’s Day quiz contest organized by the Lagos State Chapter of ACEP in October 2013, and may this year respectively,” Ogunmade added. This is in addition to brilliant performance of pupils in the last Common Entrance examination, as well as the school’s products being offered admissions in high flying school where they (students) are making their alma mater proud.

    However, despite thanking the college management for their financial assistance, Ogunmade pleaded that more still need to be done as the schools need to relocate to a permanent site within the college where it can expand and have a more befitting structure.

    “We are appealing to the management to give us our own permanent site to be able to contain our growing population.

    “Every year, our population soars, increasing the burden on our facilities.  I’m afraid that in less that five years, our facilities many not take care of our pupils.  We also need to consolidtate on our manpower; this is why we are appealing to the management to find for us a permanent site where we will have more befitting structures.”

    Mrs Ikem Tessie, HOD Upper Primary also highlighted the problem of transportation. “We have parents who send their children here from Agbara, Okoko, and even Igando. Lots of parents also want to send their children here but for distance. If we have enough school bus, I am sure it would address some of these problems. The last school bus we had was presented to us by the Parents Teachers Association, but that is not enough.”

    With the school’s growing populatio, she also spoke of the need for another school hall. “We would be glad if AOCOED alumni can give us a befitting hall,” she said.

    Mrs Tessie solicited the support of philathropists to meet the school’s need.“Overall, we are opening our door for philanthropist and other private donors to partner with us. We can assure them that it is going to be a win-win situation. As we are in the spirit of celebration, we are also thinking ahead of how we can contain challenges that will arise in the near future as a result of our rapid growth.”

  • UNILORIN VC seeks review of mathematics curriculum

    The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has recommended a review in the patterns of instruction/teaching, methodology, curriculum and assessment to ensure academic excellence in mathematics.

    He spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the 51st yearly conference of the Mathematical Association of Nigeria (MAN), hosted by UNILORIN. The theme of the conference was: “Mathematics education for sustainable development.”

    Ambali decried the failure recorded by pupils in the May/June  West Africa Senior School Examination (WASSCE) examinations results where about 70 per cent of the candidates failed to obtain the required credit pass in five subjects, including Mathematics and English Language.

    He described mathematics as an indispensable subject, without which no nation could contemplate progress or development.

    In his address titled: ‘Real deal: Mathematics education for sustainable development, Ambali said: “Mathematics is important in shaping our everyday life and development,”stressing that the subject is equally critical to the survival of the world today and the future generations.

    “There is no other proof to show that the convocation of this conference is in the national interest and not the mathematical association alone. I want to commend the association for responding quickly, through this conference, to this downward trend in pupils’ performance in Mathematics specifically and other subjects at large.”

    He noted that mathematics education is facing serious challenges, which largely account for the poor performance of pupils in it every year.

    The professor of Veterinary Medicine added: “Mathematical skills are no doubt relevant to a wide range of analytical, technological, scientific, security, political and economic applications, and there is no doubt that a solid foundation in Mathematics prepares one for other education and professional challenges.”

    Ambali suggested that interactive and functional ways of teaching Mathematics should be developed so that pupils would naturally love and not dread it. He added that it would be a delight if the failure rate in mathematics in the public examinations reduces next year based on the strategies arrived at the conference.”

    The conference chairman and Director-General, National Mathematical Centre (NMC), Abuja, Prof. A. R. T. Solarin, said mathematics is the bedrock of life, which is a most basic requirement for pupils, urging teachers to remove pupils’ phobia for Mathematics.

    Represented by NMC Deputy Director, Prof. Peter Onumanyi, he assured the association of the centre’s continued support.

    Solarin announced scholarships and awards worth N18 million to promote the study of mathematics. He also announced the distribution of mathematics textbooks after the conference.

    Earlier, MAN President Prof. Uche Agwagah, said mathematical education would enhance citizens’ capacity to tackle national challenges. She urged members of the association to make useful contributions to the conference.

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Saka Onimago, said the conference would provide opportunity to refocus on data gathering for development. The governor charged teachers to make mathematics and statistics more appealing to students.

  • NCCE begins workshops on new curriculum

    NCCE begins workshops on new curriculum

    As from the 2014/2015 academic session the National Commission for Colleges of Education’s (NCCE) will commence implementation of its reviewed curriculum in colleges of education nationwide.

    At present, the commission is holding workshops across the six geo-political zones to rub minds with stakeholders before its eventual take off.

    This, however, informed of a three day-workshop co-hosted by the NCCE and Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education which the latter hosted between Thursday and Saturday last week.

    The workshop with the theme: ‘Orientation workshop on the new NCE curriculum and college restructuring and quality assurance toolkit for teacher educators and administrators,’ drew participants from AOCOED and the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos.

    Acting Director, Department of Programmes, NCCE, Abuja, Mallam Sani Aliyu, spoke of the need to build on the curriculum which he described as ‘outdated’.

    He said the old Grade II structure where a teacher would be assigned to a class to handle all the subjects had given way to a new model that allows for specialisation, which in turn requires that a new expanded programme be installed to overhaul old system.

    He said: “What informed the workshop is that Nigeria was operating on the outdated curriculum and we have to look into the curriculum seriously with a view to producing competent teachers who can handle primary, junior secondary education, formal and tertiary education. These are the five key areas the new curriculum is based.

    “What makes the new curriculum better is that it allows students in the college to read specific courses and this will avail them to teach competently. We have to produce curriculum that will suit all the levels. We hope that the participants will go back and make use of the teachings,”  also Aliyu said the new curriculum and the attendant restructuring would address all the lapses in teacher education in Nigeria, upgrade the delivery at the college level to international standard practices adding that all the components for effective take-off of the new NCCE ideas had been taken good care of.

    Provost of the host institution, Mr. Olalekan Wasiu Bashorun, assured that AOCOED was ready to implement the curriculum.

    Earlier, he said the college had always innovative ideas.

    “The college has never lagged behind by ensuring the sustenance of any positive development and innovation in teacher education in Nigeria.

    “It is on record that we played a key role in the process of developing the national minimum standards for the Pre-NCE Curriculum produced by NCCE about three years ago. Only two weeks ago, the School of Arts and Social Sciences of this college successfully organised a four-day national workshop on evolving innovative curriculum.”

    Bashorun said the college is through with the restructuring of its schools, with a new School of Primary and Early Childhood Education, evolving from the School of Education  renamed School of General Education.

    He said the college had received NCCE’s approval to run courses in Cultural and Creative Arts and Arabic Language and that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had been notified of the development.

    The courses will draw their first intake of students in the 2014/2015 academic session, he said.

    The Deputy Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos, Dr. (Mrs.) Olajumoke Mekiliuwa, who stood in for the provost, Dr  Soji told reporters that the new NCE curriculum was an idea which time had arrived.

    According to her, the old curriculum has served out its usefulness and that the new arrangement was better and more effective as tools for comprehensive teacher education delivery in which standards and effectiveness would be the watchwords.

    The workshop closed on Saturday with the adoption of a communiqué and a unanimous resolve by participants to put into effective use the highlights of the exercise.

  • Educationist calls for curriculum review

    Simply look at this scenario: An illiterate auto mechanic perfectly fixes the car of a Mechanical Engineering graduate, who is the illiterate here.

    This was a poser by Mr Alex Ogendegbe, a lawyer and Managing Director of White Hall College, Agege.

    Ogedengbe lamented that education in Nigeria has been attached to certificates, where its holder cannot translate it into practice.

    Speaking at a briefing at the school premises to announce the school’s 10th anniversary celebrations, Ogedengbe said the context in education in Nigeria no longer solve the societal needs.

    He said: Education in Nigeria in the 60s and 70s was able to satisfy the immediate problem, where companies were looking out for a certificate holders with expertise, but today the problem is that the education our universities is giving does not address the challenges in our society anymore. We are only chasing papers printed by printers. Most of our graduates have certificates, yet are not employable”.

    Nonetheless, Ogedengbe is still optimistic

    “I can’t agree with people who say that Nigeria education is falling. For me, the content in education is increasing. Strike action by teachers and lecturers is not the issue; our country can do even more if we get to understand the contextual meaning to solve the problem of the society,” he said.

    Going down memory lane, Ogendegbe recounted the challenges he faced in establishing the school in September, 2003. He said the reason for its establishment was as a demand by parents whose wards had attended its vocational school (pre-campus). “I wanted to have a school where pupils can actually be solution providers in any field of their choice,” he added.

    Ogedengbe also recalled how accreditation issue and facilities became a problem at inception.

    However, he said within that year of take off, the school got accreditation by necessary agencies, noting that same year(2003/2004) the SS3 pupils wrote their WASCCE. The surge in enrollment, Ogedengbe explained, forced the management to start considering a permanent site for the school. He said In January 2007, the school eventually relocated to its permanent site in Fagba.

    In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Ogedengbe announced that a symposium, with the theme: “Security in school, religious, public places: Chibok in retrospect,’ will be held on the school sport jamboree/inauguration of the alumni the following day, as well as a award/dinner party for the graduands and their parents at Seven Star Event Centre, Ikeja on July 26.

  • Soft skills should be part of curriculum, says author

    Soft skills should be part of curriculum, says author

    Harry Nnoli, author of a new book, You are Hired is advocating the introduction of soft skills training in the curriculum of tertiary institutions.

    In an interview with The Nation, Nnoli said securing a job entails more than having relevant qualifications and technical skills.

    Employers seek those who can communicate, work in teams, add value and have the right attitude to succeed.

    He said: “Your academic qualification may get you through the interview gate; but securing a job entails much more.  Communication is key.  The only way I know you have something to offer is the way you communicate.  You must be computer literate, internet savvy and be good on the social media.  Interpersonal relationships is key and you must show you have the right mindset – that you have a can do spirit and you are a team player.  Those are the soft skills employers look out for.  But sadly, many graduates of today do not have it.”

    Arguing for the teaching of soft skills in schools, Nnoli said he was ready to partner with universities and other institutions to incorporate it into their curriculum, using his book as a resource material.

    “There should be something like a personal development course in the university, even in secondary schools.  We need to incorporate some of the elements in this book into the curriculum.  I am looking for a way to partner with universities to do this.  I do not see why universities cannot use this book to teach so that when the students come out, they have not only technical skills but soft skills,” he said.

    Nnoli said tackling this challenge right from school would help to significantly reduce Nigeria’s unemployment rate, which stands at 23.9 per cent.

    “Unemployment rate according to the Federal Bureau of Statistics is put at 23.9 per cent.  The problem is not just an absence of jobs.  If the issue is employability, then this book can help.  There is also the issue of more graduates than jobs.  While government is working on creating the enabling environment to increase the number of jobs, youths too can think of what they can do,” he said.

    Though he never did Human Resource Management during his career, Nnoli said with over 20 years experience in sales, marketing and business management across several sectors, including telecommunications, banking, and manufacturing, he has come to understand the need for people to be able to sell themselves.

    The 45-year old pharmacist by training, said the 145-page book was deliberately written in simple language and printed to be reader-friendly so young people can easily overcome their inertia for reading and gain from its content.

    “It is a deliberate attempt to encourage people to read because the information there is valuable. Just like medicine meant for children is sweetened to encourage them to take it easily so they can get well, that is the same way the book is not too bulky and has been written with a lot of sub-heads so that whatever portion you read, you get something from it,” he said.

     

  • ‘Inconsistency of curriculum stunts education’

    ‘Inconsistency of curriculum stunts education’

    The inconsistency of school curriculum has been attributed to the problem facing the education sector in Nigeria.

    The General Manager, Extension Publications Limited, Mr Ademola Abesin, stated this during the company’s 10th anniversary and dedication of office complex, held at Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    Speaking with The Nation, Abesin noted that frequent changes in school curriculum has adversely affected Nigeria’s education system.

    He said:”A student should be able to enter the school with a particular curriculum and follow that curriculum till the end of the programme.

    “But in a situation whereby, curriculum changes repeatedly, it means learning process will be distorted along the line. Therefore, there should be consistency in the education policy of the government so that students, parents and even publishers who are key investors in the production of education books will not be running at a loss.”

    Earlier in his own remark,the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Elder Sunday Obiyinka, said:”The journey has been a story of God’s grace. Those with whom we started together are nowhere to be found. We started as a one shop affair with N12,000 and by God’s grace here we are today dedicating our office complex. It is marvelous in our hearts”.

    Present at the occasion were the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists Oyo State Council, Comrade Gbenga Opadotun, Cardinal James Odunmbaku who cut the tape of the facility and host of other dignitaries.

  • The Mandarins

    The Mandarins

    •Will it help our pupils if introduced into the curriculum?

    It is regrettable that members of the Lagos State House of Assembly (LSHA) were as much in the dark as the general public over the decision of the state government to introduce the teaching of Chinese language into the state’s school curriculum. There was thus a heated debate on the floor of the House last Tuesday on the desirability or otherwise of the policy initiative. Leading the opposition to the teaching of Chinese language in Lagos State public schools, the member representing Ajeromi-Ifelodun constituency, Mr. Abdulbak Balogun, questioned the necessity of the policy and suggested instead that students inclined to learn Chinese could do so as part of linguistics courses at the university level.

    Another law maker doubted the relevance of Chinese language to the socio-economic development of the country and would rather prefer that Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo be made compulsory in the state’s schools.

    Supporting the initiative, however, another legislator, Mrs. Lola Akande, said the policy would strengthen the relationship between Nigeria and China, noting that the latter is an emergent global economic and technological power. On his part, the Speaker of the assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, also saw nothing wrong with the policy stressing, not only that the introduction of Chinese would have no negative impact on the students but that “Most of the countries I have visited, you see a child of less than 15 years speaking about three or more languages and that has not prevented them from learning their local languages as well.”

    We commend the vigour and rigour with which the assembly debated this important policy issue. The invitation of the House to the state commissioner for education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, to throw light on the matter before the House this week will hopefully enrich further discussion of the issue by the House. The important thing to note now is that the assembly, at least in this instance, has effectively played its role as an autonomous arm of government rather than simply acting as a rubber stamp.

    Of course, no one can question the pivotal role of China in today’s global political economy as the facts speak for themselves. China is the world’s second largest economy after the United States. With a growth rate of at least over 10 percent in the last 30 years, China has been rated as the largest exporter and second largest importer of goods in the world. In the same vein, China is the largest creditor nation today and it has been estimated that she could become the world’s largest economy as early as year 2020.

    As her economic and technological influence has grown, it is only natural that Chinese language has also acquired greater clout. Over one billon people, an estimated one-fifth of the world’s population, are reported to speak one variety of Chinese or the other as their native language. By far the most widely spoken of the Chinese group of languages is Mandarin with about 850 million speakers and we presume this is the variety Lagos State wants to introduce into its school curriculum.

    But then, will the adoption of Chinese language necessarily empower us to follow China’s geometric developmental trajectory? We think not. If China could attain her socio-economic and technological feats within the framework of her own indigenous languages, why can’t our own native languages in Nigeria be the fulcrum for our own progress? Will this policy imply the employment of more teachers of the Chinese language? Should this be our priority given the poor record of our children in even our local languages and key subjects like English and Mathematics? These are questions we would want the state government to seriously consider before making up its mind on the matter.