Falola advocates adoption of cultural approaches in technical education

Eminent professor of African Studies, Toyin Falola has advocated for the adoption of cultural approaches in technical education. He explained that this would allow easy and quick assimilation by learners.

The revered academic stated this while delivering a lecture entitled: “Technology, Technical Education, Culture and Society,” held on Wednesday at the Federal College of Education, Akoka, in Lagos.

The guest lecturer further explained that the level of understanding would be increased if technical courses or processes are developed and taught in a way that African languages have ready representations, explanations, and words for them.

Professor Falola added that the older generation of people that are very convinced about their cultural approaches should be targeted due to the fact that technological products are not useful only to the youth or the new generation but all. He posited that the adoption of culture in new technologies is important in order not leave people behind.

“There is a need for the adoption of culture and cultural approaches in technical education. This will allow easy and quick assimilation. For instance, if technical courses or processes are developed and taught in a way that African languages have ready representations, explanations, and words for them, the level of understanding would be increased. Technical education must also target the older generation of people that are very convinced about their cultural approaches. This is because technological products are not useful only to the youth or the new generation but all. The adoption of culture in new technologies is important in order not leave people behind,” Professor Falola stated.

He equally stated that “Technology is not necessarily a contradiction of culture. It is a way of developing the current cultural approaches to things. The advancement of technology has evidently been responsible for the distribution of European culture. Although using the same for Africa might look late but might also be a way of spreading African culture. Take an example of Southern Americans’ worship of African gods and the practice of African culture. Cultures do not just start in a vacuum, they are developed discoveries and approaches that have endured through time and they include technological breakthroughs that have today been considered artifacts or at best obsolete. Hence, the present technological developments, if they endure for a long time, will become the cultures of tomorrow that may also be replaced with another technology. An example is the predominance of IT and the general involvement of the youth in the technology industry.”

Professor Falola however cautioned that the enthronement of technology over culture and popular way of life might be too radical and may break the sociological threads of African society as technology can consume valuable cultural values that are supposed to still be beneficial to society. He further explained that social decadence and increase in social vices could be the results of the adoption of new developments and technology without sieving out the parts that are not favorable when considering the cultural history of the people.

According to him, “The tendency of a technology in the western world and the unconscious efforts of adopting it in Africa could be something Africans should be worried about. Enthronement of technology over culture and popular way of life might be too radical and may break the sociological threads of African society. Technology can consume valuable cultural values that are supposed to still be beneficial to society. Social decadence and increase in social vices could be the results of the adoption of new developments and technology without sieving out the parts that are not favorable when considering the cultural history of the people.”

He called on relevant authorities to “prioritize development. Without that, we are wasting our time with other recommendations. No nation or people will make significant societal progress without consciously planning for it, and providing the enabling environment, policies, incentives, strategies and pathways for development. Individuals may prosper in the current inimical state of affairs, but as a nation and as a continent, a developmental mindset is needed to move us to the promised land.”

Speaking earlier, the chairman of the occasion, Prince Yemisi Shyllon said the institution is lucky to have Professor Falola as a guest lecturer because he is a man with wealth of knowledge, adding that Falola is one of the most celebrated academics across the world.

Shyllon emphasized the importance of education as it is a methodical way of passing knowledge from one generation to another to ensure knowledge does not go extinct. “The Institution is lucky to have Professor Falola. I have benefited from his wealth of knowledge. Education is very important. It is about methodical way of passing knowledge from one generation to another to ensure knowledge does not go extinct. Culture is about learning. Society is the one that encompasses all these. This scholar will decipher the relationship between technology and society.” Shyllon stated.

Chairman, Governing Council, Federal College of Education (FCE), Akoka, Adamu Muazu stated that this discourse is very germane to the institution apart from physical structure. This was just as he also stated that the institution takes care of the needs of the staff as they have emphasized the need for well experienced and motivated workforce. “We believe that apart from physical structure, we need this type of discourse. We made mention that educational institutions like this one will definitely be filled with well experienced and motivated staff. And right from that day, we made sure that we take care of our staff needs. We cleared all backlogs,” he recalled.

Provost of the college, Dr. Wahab Azeez said the lecture is a testimony to the creation of institutions like theirs, adding that it is his responsibility to attract best brains and personalities to support their area of focus. Dr. Wahab also said that the college was established to provide technical and academic training to students.

He, therefore, assured that the institution would strive to network with international researchers to make this institution one of the leading colleges to enrich the content of the institution’s curriculum for the benefit of staff and students.

For him, “An event like this is a testimony to the creation of institutions like ours. As a provost, it is my responsibility to attract best brains and personalities to support our area of focus. The college was established to provide technical and academic training to students. We appreciate those who have taken time to be here today. We will strive to make sure we network with international researchers to make this institution one of the leading colleges to enrich the content of our curriculum for the benefit of staff and students. Today marks another epoch making event in the history of this college which was established since 1967. The theme captures a lot of areas . The array of personalities here justified the importance of today’s lecture.”