By Saheed Ibrahim

Education experts have called for a total overhauling of Nigeria’s education system from pre primary to tertiary institutions.
Those who spoke with The Hope, noted that the country’s obsolete curriculum must be discarded while problem-solving alternatives must be adopted.
They also advocated for alternative methods of learning other than certificate-focused education, the use of local languages to teach and inclusion of areas the country has comparative advantage over other nations into the education curriculum.
Executive Director, Better Education, Dr Abdulkareem Akinlaja stressed that the country’s curriculum, mode of teaching and learning are obsolete, adding that the current problem the country is facing must inform the system of education, and modes of learning.
Akinlaja, who is an education development expert, warned that until these were done, Nigeria’s education system would remain backward.
“If you notice, those who left this country to study abroad perform excellently well. It is not that those here are dullards but the system of education is killing them.
“Some of the courses taught in our institutions have no relevance with our challenges whereas the ones we should include were abandoned.
He further said that examination should be the least thing institutions should focus on but knowledge application, adding that there should be a synergy between institutions and the corporate actors.
Contributing, the Founder, BRAMBLE Network, an organization that specializes in education development, Odunayo Aliu advocated that Nigeria must do away with certificate-focused education and focus on alternative learning.
She identified unschooling, experiential learning, project based learning and internship (among others) as alternative learning methods the country could adopt.
“Aternative learning is becoming popular but not in Nigeria sadly. For example, we have home schooling, which means parents empowered to train their children at home, not in school.
“That simply means when learners get knowledge, they create something with the knowledge.
“It might not be restricted to certificate but it is place-based learning. They can say they want to travel to Ogbomosho to see how life is,” she explained.
Speaking on the advantages of the alternate learning methods, Aliu revealed that the methods are more personal to people and allow individuals to learn in ways they will never forget the knowledge acquired.
Also speaking, a lecturer in the University of Ibadan, Dr Olusola Fadairo noted that countries, such as the Asian Tigers, which Nigeria was at the same level with in the past had left her behind, adducing this to the fact that the country’s was still using curriculum given to her by the colonialists instead of adopting new curriculum tailored to address her problems.
“There is a need for curriculum review, a paradigm shift in our approach to learning in schools in Nigeria if we are going to achieve development,” he stated.
“Our curriculum is a bit faulty. Curriculum should continually evolve based on the needs of the society and should also start from where the people are and should embrace the originality of the people. That is what these Asian Tigers have done and has helped them significantly.
He further noted that many developed countries, like China, teach their students with their local languages and this helps the students’ understanding of what they were being taught, adding that previous studies in Nigeria had proven this to be effective.
He said Nigeria must look inward and use her own ingenuity to develop her education and consequently her development, saying the country should stop importing ideas from other countries.
“For instance, what stops us from having alternative medicine as a course in Nigeria universities? This would have taken root in our own originality. What we need is to improve it, add some measures of sciences to it and develop it”, he said.
The researcher said that Nigeria had all. It needed to be self reliant and developed, adding that the country had the right human and material resources to cater for her needs and compete with other countries in the world.