Current Challenges and Strategies for Transforming Basic
Education for National Development by Umar F. Mohammed(PhD)
National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion,
NOTAP
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Introduction Education is the most important factor that
determines the success of human existence in this universe. It is a
barometer for the measuring the economic success of a nation and
the engine for civilisation. It is the oldest human venture that
has existed since the creation of the universe. The pursuit for
knowledge has been the greatest and oldest endeavour ever made by
humanity. Education is a quality that differentiate an animal from
a human, a civilised person from an uncivilised person and an
illiterate from a literate. Also education is the instrument that
distinguishes a civilised country from an uncivilised country, the
developed nations from the undeveloped nations and is the implement
by which stronger nations dictate their policies to the weaker
nations.
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Introduction (Cont) As such, if Nigeria is to register herself
among the committee of civilised and rich nations then, education
is the Key.
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Education defined Education is the process of acquiring
knowledge hitherto unknown to a person and the development of a
system to use that knowledge positively for the advancement of the
immediate society and humanity as a whole. Also education is
defined as: The wealth of knowledge acquired by an individual after
studying particular subject matters or experiencing life lessons
that provide an understanding of something. Education requires
instruction of some sort from an individual or composed literature
(business dictionary)
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Types of Education Two(2) types Formal and Informal a)Informal
Education: informal education is the education done outside the
normal school system b)Formal education is the type of knowledge
imparting carried out in the normal school system
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Current Structure of Nigerian Basic Education (the 6,3,3,4
system)
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Current Structure of Nigerian Basic Education (Cont) Currently,
the Nigerian basic education structure consist of a 9 year study
program under the 6,3,3,4 Nigerian system of education. It means a
child is expected to commence his primary education at the age of
six (6) years and would spend a maximum of six (6) years in the
primary school before proceeding to spent 3 years at the junior
secondary school. He then proceeds to spend another 3 years at the
senior secondary school before going to the university or
polytechnic or college of education.
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Revised Nigerian Basic Primary School Curriculum Meaning of
Primary School Curriculum Is an educational planning document which
outlines the contents of childrens learningthe what and how of
childrens learningfor childrens first nine years in school, from
the first class up to the junior secondary school. The curriculum
aims to: develop each childs potential to the full encourage a love
of learning help children develop skills they will use all their
lives.
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Revised Nigerian Basic Primary School Curriculum (Cont) The
curriculum is presented in seven areas, some of which are further
subdivided into subjects. These are: 1.English Studies 2.
Mathematics 3. Cultural and Creative Arts (CCA) 4. One Nigerian
Language 5. Basic Science and Technology (BST) i. Basic Science ii.
Basic Technology iii. Physical &Health iv. Information
Technology 6. Pre- Vocational Studies, PVS to be introduced from
Primary 4 i. Home Economics ii. Agriculture 7. Religion and
National Values, RNV i. Christian Religious Studies ii. Islamic
Studies, iii. Social Studies, iv. Civic Education v. security
Education 8. French to be introduced from Primary 4 9. Business
Studies/Entrepreneurship, BSE to be introduced in JSS1) 10. Arabic
(Optional)
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Challenges Facing Universal Basic Education in Nigeria Funding;
There is Absence of enough and adequate government funding for
basic education Lack of other funding mechanism for primary
education, such as through tax system, levies, personal
contributions, etc.
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Data source: Internet
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Infrastructure Absence of basic infrastructure such as standard
buildings, furniture, constant electricity, laboratory facilities,
clean portable drinking water, dispensaries & clinics,
libraries, etc. Teaching Materials Absence of enough teaching
facilities such as text books, writing materials, instructional
tools, etc. Financial Poor remuneration of teachers High poverty
rates among the people Absence of incentives for teacher Lack of
motivation among teachers
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Technical Absence of enough technical innovation skills for the
sector Absence of modern technological teaching tools such as
audiovisual devices, VSAT, computers, laptops, multimedia devices,
etc Societal High drop out of children from schools for labour work
Lack of demand for accountability by the people Mistrust about
government policies I don't care attitude for children's education
among parent Administrative Lack of political will to implement
government policies Lack of proper monitoring and regulatory
mechanism to enforce governments rules and regulations in
education
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Lack of a comprehensive training programme for teachers High
level of Corruption among government officials Rampant examination
malpractices Religious Misconception among the religion about
western education Discrimination in the system due to religious
affiliations
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Strategy for Transformation Increase the funding for education
Create more synergy and collaboration between all the relevant
educational stakeholders to compliment each other The education
sector should look inward with a view of patronising made in
Nigeria educational facilities developed by other agencies and
local inventors. Government should establish a dedicated
educational development fund for basic primary education to
supplement the statutory budgetary allocation for education The
teaching of science and technology subjects should be encouraged to
develop the future critical mass of engineers and technicians that
will produce educational facilities.
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Strategy for Transformation (cont...) The education sector
should exploit other viable educational initiatives that exists in
other institutions to accelerate the development of the sector.
Education should be modernised with more modern facilities and
equipment and government should provide necessary infrastructure
through proper funding both in the urban and rural areas in line
with the universalisation objectives Government should draft a
policy on e-learning as a new education method to compliment the
traditional way of learning which is more costlier.
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The NOTAPs Educational Initiatives Brief history of NOTAP The
National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP),
an agency under the aegis of the Federal Ministry of Science and
Technology was established by Decree No. 70 of 1979, as the
National Office of Industrial Property (NOIP).
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The NOTAPs Educational Initiatives (Cont..) It is a corporate
body with the following mandates: To implement the acquisition,
promotion and development of technology and at the same time
correct certain imperfections in the acquisition of foreign
technology into the country. In 1992, the name of the Office was
changed to National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion
(NOTAP) by Decree
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The NOTAPs Educational Initiatives (cont..) No. 82 of 1992 now
referred to as NOTAP Act cap 268 LFN 1994. This was to ensure that
the name adequately reflects the entire functions of the Office and
to also remove any ambiguity or misconception that may arise in
relation to any other Government agency.
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VISION OF NOTAP: To move Nigeria from the periphery to the
dominant centre of global industrial power structure within the
shortest possible time and make her a major global power house of
the 21st Century through an efficient Technology Acquisition
Strategy and a vibrant innovation and R&D commercialization
programme. MISSION: To ensure the acceleration of Nigeria's drive
towards a rapid technological revolution by an efficient
acquisition/absorption of foreign technology and a concerted
development of indigenous technological capability through a
proactive promotion of innovation and commercialisation of
technology.
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NOTAPs Educational Initiatives on Science and Technology
Pedagogies The Technology Storyboard Initiative The Technology
Story Board Programme is an educational and instructional tool
aimed at planting the seeds of science, technology and innovation
at the basic educational level to ultimately produce the critical
mass of highly skilled S&T manpower needed by the country for
future technological and economical development.
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Technology Storyboard Initiative The concept involve a step by-
step graphic/pictorial representation of the technological process
of transforming raw materials to final consumable products.
Interestingly, it was noted that for most of these products, the
raw materials and the final products are both well known to
children, while the intermediate processes remain a mystery NOTAP
developed the concept in close consultation with many manufacturing
companies which resulted in the development of the Technology
Storyboards
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Technology Storyboard
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Technology Story Books Programme The programme is a fall out of
the technology storyboard initiative. It consist of production of
series of children science and technology story books and is part
of a program to reverse the worrying trend of growing disinterest
in science and technology subjects among children which portends to
a very serious problem in the future for the socioeconomic
development of Nigeria.
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Technology Story Books (Cont...) The series uses the imagery
and simplicity of traditional children folktales stories in
communicating different areas of science and technology of products
manufactured by companies to children in a way that makes learning
science and technology very exciting.
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The Digitalised ALLO Initiative The word Allo is a Hausa word
and it means blackboard or writing material. The Allo is an Islamic
learning art/tool which has been in existence many centuries ago to
propagate islamic knowledge. The quranic text is normally written
on the board using local ink produced from either charcoal or
leaves of trees. The digitalised Allo is an innovative instrument
that combines the Allo and a digital ipad computer developed to
modernise the process of impacting islamic knowledge by using
digital instrument.
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The Digitalised ALLO Initiative (Cont)
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The Major objectives of the innovation are To modernise the
process of traditional Islamic teaching and learning in the country
To directly or indirectly ingrain the conscious of the students and
the Islamic teachers about the efficacy of western education To
eradicate the misconception about western education common among
Islamic scholars and students.
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NOTAP-Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship (NITTF) The
NOTAP-Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship (NITTF) is a
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) platform designed to create
indigenous critical technological competences of elite applied
knowledge workers in Nigeria through special PhD programmes tenable
in Nigerian Universities. The support is for a maximum period of 4
years to be jointly implemented by NOTAP and Industry.
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NOTAP-Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship (NITTF) The
scheme is a tripartite arrangement where industry will provide fund
and laboratory facilities, the university will train and employ the
fellows while the government i.e NOTAP initiates and manages the
interface to produce pool of critical mass of manpower needed for
speedy economic development of the country. NOTAP is partnering
with all industries having technology transfer agreements
registered with the office and other organizations and individuals
in the implementation of this scheme. NITTF is administered by
NOTAP and its partners.
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Objectives of NITTF The objectives are : Create a pool of
knowledgeable and skilled manpower that will facilitate technology
acquisition, assimilation and diffusion. Provide academic staff of
universities with broad and direct experience of industry to
benefit research and enhance the relevance of teaching Stimulate
and translate research results to the private sector to develop a
sustainable technology- based economy.
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Objectives of NITTF (Cont...) Establish appropriate linkages
between university research institutions and industrial sectors
Establish a process and system for the commercial exploitation of
research results Encourage the setting up of joint ventures and
partnerships to sufficiently promote and profit from R & D
results. Encourage the use of spin out and spin off companies as
vehicles for promoting technology transfer and
commercialization
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Objectives of NITTF Create a robust and dynamic R & D
structure in Nigeria.
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Conclusion The economic transformation of any nation is a
completely reliant on the education posses by its citizen.
Education is the pillar to the development of a nation. We should
know that if we want to leave a sustainable legacy that will make
our children to be proud of us we must give then the quality
education that will be useful to them. Our natural resources, which
we have been exploiting since independence have failed to deliver
us from the bondage of poverty and misery. Our only hope is
education. In line with the Transformation Agenda of Mr. President
he should focused more attention to the Education Agenda.