Compiled by Augustine Okezie
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have urged the federal government to adequately invest in teachers and develop a culturally and economically relevant curriculum to ensure growth.
Prof. Hassana Alidou, the UNESCO Regional Director, gave the advice while appearing at the News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja during the week
Alidou said adequate investment in teachers across the board would ensure proper delivery of education programmes and achieve the 2015 Education for All (EFA) goals.
“You cannot have quality education if teachers are not at the centre of policy.
“We need to invest in teachers adequately: teachers’ qualification, teachers’ professional development for those in service and teachers’ incentives, so that proper learning can take place.
The UNESCO representative commended Nigeria’s efforts at developing the basic education scheme.
She, however, noted that there was the need to enhance the curriculum to address special learning situations and have a focus in line with the EFA Goals 2015 and beyond.
“What type of curriculum are we really implementing so that when people get out of the education system they don’t have only bookish knowledge but they have skills and competencies.
“Nigeria has always extended basic education but we have to open up more in the different areas.
“When we look at all the Northern States where the issue of out-of-school or the issue of illiteracy is huge, we have to ask the question: what type of culturally-relevant education system are we going to promote, within the same national curriculum framework, which entice, motivate people to come to the learning centres to learn and be productive in their communities?
“I think one-size-fits-all is not going to work; but within the national framework how can we have education programmes which are culturally and economically relevant for the community.
