Education
Kindergarten Education, Key To National Dev –Experts
It has been made clear that early childhood education is the bedrock of our national development.
We have also heard that once we get education right in Nigeria, all other sectors would be put right.
Experts have said that for us to move education forward in Nigeria, we must start from the beginning to give the children the initial knowledge so that they can fit into the society as better citizens.
UN representative asked: “What kind of quality manpower do you want to raise without quality kindergarten education?”
She wondered that even when oil was discovered from the Niger Delta, we still employed foreigners to man the oil companies. “Why are there not enough indigenous engineers to work in the oil industries?” she queried and advised that we need to invest in our children and wards by giving them quality education.
These and many more were the views of various speakers as they brainstormed on the topic: “Kingdergarten Education: The Foundation for Human Development”, at the 2nd National Conference on Kindergarten Education in Port Harcourt, Thursday.
Presenting a paper on the kindergarten perspective, a lecturer, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof Julie Ibiam, who stated that kindergarten is a kind of stepping stone or transition class for primary school, noted that in recent times, it has been said and understood that it is a terminal stage for pre-primary education; and preparatory ground for the primary.
Prof Ibiam said in early childhood education, the child is smart and active and is ready to get what is imparted to him.
She emphasised that there is no uniform curriculum for this level of education and stressed that since Federal Government had directed that all state governments should establish early childhood education side-by-side the model schools, relevant authorities should prepare one and make the copies available, so that teachers would be trained in that area.
According to her, “Teachers should make learning meaningful in relation to what the children already know and involve them on hands- on activities.
Concerning the language to be used at this level, Prof Ibiam said although Nigeria has diverse languages but that the National Policy on Education stated that the language of the immediate environment should be used.
In her views, Dr Valerie Samuel, opined that if we are teaching the children to compete at the international community level, the official language should be English hence the local languages are secondary.
Dr Samuel, who stated that kindergarten education is unique, argued that you cannot compare a child who attended it with the child who did not because the kindergarten child is more equipped with so much skills than the latter.
She emphasised that Kindergarten is compulsory for nations preparing world-class leaders and therefore recommended one teacher to 10 pupils in a class.
She encouraged childhood care givers to organise parents’ forums for interaction, reminding that parental attention is very crucial since they are the first teachers.
In kindergarten all animals must be equal, unlike in ‘Animal Farm’ where all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. In her paper presentation, a guest lecturer, Delta State University, Abraka, Dr Gladys Idogho, recalled that before independence, education in Nigeria used to be a community affair, hence we lean less on government and do it privately. Dr Idogho said parents have to be economically fit to ensure good nutrition and health and stressed that early identification to ascertain whether the child is normal or not is important. “Early childhood education lies in the hands of the parents. A child under three years must be attached to the mother.
“Kindergarten is the responsibility of the parents and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) should assist at the local levels. NGOs should expand in every ward and every woman should be a member,” she remarked. Meanwhile, a stakeholder and participant, who teachers at St Thomas Church Nursery and Primary School, in Port Harcourt, Mrs Gold Prince-Adah, told The Tide that it is a welcome development for educationists and policy planners and it serves as an eye-opener. According to her, “I have learnt a lot about early childhood care and as a way forward, I have to sustain it. We can go back to our various homes and impart this knowledge to other teachers who would in turn impart it proper to the children.”
Also speaking to our correspondent, a Fine and Applied Arts teacher at the Government Secondary School Elekahia, Mrs Aku Uche Olekanma, said that she has learnt about improvised materials for teaching the children in school and acknowledged that what she learnt will assist in her assignments.
Mr Samuel Omo, lamented that the fees charged by private schools operators are high and appealed to the government to establish nursery centres in the urban areas since they can afford it.
Eunice Choko Kayode
The Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board has released the names of 5,600 newly recruited primary school teachers and 80 caregivers in the State.
The SUBEB Chairman, Nureni Adeniran, who announced this in Ibadan, the state capital, on Friday, explained that the list had been duly approved by the state Governor, Seyi Makinde.
“The newly appointed teachers and caregivers are the first batch of successful applicants from the recent recruitment exercise carried out by the board,” he said.
“The list will be uploaded on the portal and will be available for candidates to check their names from the portal.
A Professor of Accountancy in the Department of Accounting , Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University, Prof Lawyer Chukwumah Obara has advocated the adoption of African traditional values as a managerial tool to eradicate systemic corruption and mismanagement of public funds in governance.
According to him , the use of such African traditional methods like shrine oath-taking by public servants will deter such public officials from misappropriation of public funds while in office. He said accounting system is evolutionary science that recognises the practice of some pragmatic ideological practices such as African norms and values to fight corruption and mismanagement of funds that is predominantly noticed in both public and private governance.
Prof Obara stated this while delivering his inaugural lecture at the 106th inaugural lecture series of the state university with the topic, “Pragmatic Ideologies and Visionary Accounting: Reinforcing the Helmet, “ held at the Senate auditorium,last Wednesday.
He noted that all the 36 States including the Federal Capital Territory in the country can convinently survive without any federal allocation if they embrace pragmatic ideological accounting systems that are visionary accounting methods.
“Every State must adopt pragmatic approaches in their accounting system,there should be accountability and transparency, ,we must be flexible in our Constitution as constitutional rigidity is bane of the growth of the nation and we must go back to our root , traditional values and that will promote wonderful accounting system and the world will celebrate us,”he stated.
The erudite scholar noted that Accounting science helmet provides a safety umbrella to shade RAIR from shady accounting practices and can serve as both protective measure and forward looking.
Mr Vice Chancellor,in the foregoing senses, reinforcement can increase the probability that the accounting’ behaviour will occur again in similar situations.This implies that reinforcing the helmet is a powerful tool in shaping accountants behaviour, learning and development and this can lead to more effective strategies in accounting therapy and everyday interactions”,he stated.
The lecture examined the evolution of philosophical thought in accounting, notion of pragmatic ideologies in accounting, visionary accounting paradigm , transparency , differences and similarities,the helmet metaphor : balancing protection progress.
He posisted that accounting plays vital role in the socio-economic development of nations , stressing that Accounting is the instrument for financial management , transparency, and resource allocation.
“Over the years ,the accounting system has undergone significant transformations influenced by historical developments , regulatory reforms, and the adoption of global standards which serve as the helmet reinforcing and protecting socio_economic development.”
Reinforcement is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology and learning theory, particularly in the context of operant conditioning. it refers to any stimulus or event that increases the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated in the future.It can be understood as a mechanism that encourages certain behaviors through rewards or consequences,”he stated.
In concluding, Prof Obara stated that Nigeria’s economic landscape demands an accounting profession that is both pragmatic and visionary .
Earlier in his speech,the Vice Chancellor of the university Prof Nlerum Sunday Okogbule represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Prof Victor Akujuru the lecture said is valuable and is capable to advancing the growth and development of any society if adopted, even as he commended the lecturer for a thoughtful and impacted inaugural lecture.
By: Akujobi Amadi
A team of board members and directors of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board led by Member in charge of Supervision / Monitoring, Chief Nwuke Anucha visited Ogboloma,a riverine community in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of the State to inspect a six classroom block built single handedly by the community recently.
Speaking at the King’s palace shortly after inspecting the building and facilities in the school, Chief Anucha, who represented the board chairman, Alabo David Briggs, commended the people of Ogboloma for remaining united and working in synergy for the good of the community and the younger generation.
While assuring them that the board chairman would surely be briefed on the effort so far made by the community in encouraging education in the area, Anucha expressed optimism that he (Briggs) will not hesitate to give his approval for the school to kick off and called on the people to see education as the responsibility of all.
He used the medium to thank the King of Ogboloma His Highness Micah Brother, the councilor, Hon. Thomas Carlson; CDC Chairman, Lucky Brave Egba, Chiefs and elders and youths for working in synergy for the progress of community.
Also speaking, the board member in charge of projects Dr. Walson Ominini lauded the people for promoting education in the area, assuring them that their effort will not be in vain.
Earlier in his speech, the King of Ogboloma, His King Micah Brother thanked the bfor finding time to visit the community, pointing out that the six classroom block was the singular effort of the community and appealed to the board chairman to give approval for the school to kick off.
The King who spoke through the councillor representing the area, Hon. Thomas Carlson narrated how children in the community are trekking long distances to neighbouring communities in search of quality education and sometimes would be bitten by snakes called on the board to come to their aid as government presence is not in any way felt in the community.
The chiefs also spoke, thanking the board officers for coming to see things for themselves.
By: Akujobi Amadi