FG reaffirms commitment to innovation-based education

THE Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to providing quality basic and secondary education in the country.

Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, who stated this, also said that the Federal Ministry of Education is committed to the institutionalisation of innovation-based education that would reflect 21st Century education for the purpose of development.

He spoke in Abuja when he received the advocacy committee on the promotion of integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education in Nigerian schools.

STEAM is an interdisciplinary learning approach that integrates science, technology, engineering, arts and Mathematics to provide students with a well-rounded and holistic learning experience that encourages creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration skills.

Mamman commended the committee, which is made up of the Nigeria Academy of Letters (NAL), Nigeria Academy of Science (NAS) and Nigeria Young Academy (NYA), as well as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) as project managers and sponsors, for their dedication and commitment to uplift the education sector in Nigeria.

He pointed out that the various submissions of the committee had been a concern to him personally, which had prompted him to raise the issue at different forums, while expressing the determination of the government to address issues arising therein squarely.

He expressed reservations on the scant attention given to basic and secondary school education as against the premium placed on tertiary institutions, stating that the last administration was committed to these critical sub-sectors with a view to driving innovation-based education in line with the dictates of the 21st Century education roadmap

He, therefore, urged the academies not to relent in their advocacy to achieve the desired results.

He reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to turning around the fortunes of education in the country, adding that the president is in a hurry to improve the country’s education sector through adequate funding and urged all stakeholders to bring their wealth of knowledge to the table to jump-start the educational progress of the country.

He also disclosed that a seven-man committee had been set up to develop the new education road map of the Federal Ministry of Education and would want the academics to interface with the ministry with a view to bringing out a blueprint for the overall development of the Nigerian education system.

Earlier, the chairman of the Project Team, Professor Obioma Nworgu; chairman of the Advocacy Team and president of NAS, Professor Braide Ekanem; vice president of NAL, Professor Andrew Haruna; president of NYA, Dr Awwal Ibrahim, had taken turns to address the minister on the programmes lined up for advocacy, methodology, advantages, impact of the project, the paradigm shift from STEM to STEAM and the inroads made by the academics, among other critical interventions.

The advocacy team was also at the offices of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) as well as the secretariat of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) as part of its outreach to drive the education roadmap.

During the visits, the team had robust interactions with these agencies and in their various reactions, the agencies described the intervention as timely, and with the capacity to improve the fortunes of the education sector, while pledging their support to be part of the laudable project.

The Advocacy Team was also at the National Universities Commission (NUC), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and the Secretariat of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) as part of its outreach to drive the education roadmap. During the visits, the Advocacy Team had robust interactions with these Agencies.

In their various reactions, the Agencies described the intervention as timely, and with the capacity to improve the fortunes of the education sector, while pledging their support to be part of the laudable project.