Nigerian Author Urges Govt to Build Education on Practical, Few Theories
Sunday Okobi
An award-winning author and educationist, Mrs. Kelicha Ochonogor, has called on governments at all levels to infuse more practical pedagogic system in the school curriculum and fewer theories in order to reverse the seeming Nigeria’s falling education standard.
Ochonogor, who stated this recently when she held a media chat with journalists at Goseld Nursery and Primary School at Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, also noted that the one-month old learning centre was deploying inclusive education – a little of the British and Montessori curricula in an harmonised format.
During the chat she held alongside the institution’s Administrator, Mrs. Omowunmi Efeveya, and Supervisor, Mr. Adedipe John Ayodeji, she stressed that her organisation was much more disposed to illustrative and demonstrative system of education in imparting knowledge, adding that the pupils are engaged in practical entrepreneurship right from the pre-school level, “which would develop their skills, help them create jobs and consequently, help the country.”
The Director of Goseld Nursery and Primary School, who authored 12 books in 2 years, which include ‘United Nations partnership with God’, ‘Darling is not Working’, ‘The citadel of learning’, ‘A product of an eight-year dream’, ‘Was Stella wrong?’ among others, posited that she is poised to build up a total child grounded in morality and spiritual uprightness.
Asked why she ventured into setting up a school, the Master’s degree holder in Education Administration from Covenant University, Ogun State noted that the decision was informed by some noticeable lapses she termed ‘misbehaviors’ in the system.
Talking about the school summer programme, she disclosed that the children spent quality time learning various concepts in vocational and practical training, which she added would help children grow faster as we as develop entrepreneurial skill.
According to her, “The children went through profound experience which will shape the rest of their lives. They enjoy great pastoral care that allowed them grow personally as well as academically. The foundation built during this summer will stand them in good stead throughout their school careers. The summer blast is worthwhile and all involved had memorable experience.”
The author also noted that her writing centres on biblical disposition to key issues in the society.
Ochonogor is of the view that government was out to partner the private sector in encouraging education nationwide hence the establishment of learning institutions is not captured in the Value Added Tax (VAT) net though taxable in other respects.
In his remarks, Ayodeji, while throwing more light on the proposed curriculum for the institution, clarified that it was going for a comparative one.
By implication, he said the school was to holistically review various curricula vis-à-vis their strengths and weaknesses and eventually come up with something all-embracing.
He boasted that the institution was the best in the locality owing to its array of experienced teachers as well as a policy that priorities the security and rights of the child.