Our method of knowledge impartation at JSAY is learner-centered, application-based — Head of School

Mrs Olajumoke Akere, is the Head of School, JSAY Prevarsity, Oluyole, Ibadan, Oyo State. In this interview, she speaks on the impact of application-based learning in the education system, among other educational issues.

APPLICATION and knowledge-based learning are separate factors that determine the competency of students, particularly in practical-based disciplines in tertiary institutions. Do you agree with this view as an educationist?

Knowledge-based and application-based learning are two separate methods of learning.  A good understanding of the two methods will help us to know the state of our education system and the areas that need improvement. Knowledge-based learning refers to reading, listening and watching to obtain information. It’s more about information gathering, but it doesn’t stop there. When learning stops at the level of knowledge-based, it will not help the students because it only entails acquiring data. And this is what most of our educational programmes today are all about – starting from the primary and secondary levels, even up to the tertiary institution. If you look at some of the products of our secondary schools and even the universities, you will notice that most of them are not able to apply what they claim to know. This is because their learning stopped at the level of knowledge, the acquisition of information. When learning does not go to the next level, which is the application-based learning level, then it will not be useful to the students. So, knowing what application-based learning is will help us to ensure that our students are able to apply whatever knowledge is being passed on to them. Such learning will be useful to them, as well as for national development. Application-based learning has to do with the concept of retaining knowledge and the ability to be able to use and apply what you know. So, they are two different things, but a good understanding of the two will help us to know that one is a pre-requisite of the other. Knowledge must progress to the level of application. That’s what we focus on at JSAY; we want our students not just to know, but understand what they know, so they can apply it. That testifies to the many reasons why they excel in many of their examinations which are mostly international-based, coupled with some of the programmes we are running at JSAY Prevarsity.

Performance report of JSAY in the Cambridge A’level affirms the entrenched culture of excellence at JSAY. How is this feat realisable?

I wouldn’t want to focus on a particular examination. At JSAY, we have an entrenched culture of excellence, hence the consistent outstanding results we have recorded over the years.  And this is because our method of knowledge impartation is student-focused, learner-centered and application-based. We ensure that students understand what they are being taught. There is counselling, there is monitoring and we make sure that our students develop interest in the subjects they are offering, because if you don’t like a subject, you cannot excel in it. This is again coupled with the fact that we have experienced teachers who have been with us over the years. We also make sure that necessary facilities are in place to support our students’ learnings, and most of the time they do well.

 What informed your decision to set up a secondary school?  And what’s your vision for the school?

Presently, we don’t have a full-fledged secondary school from the usual Junior Secondary School (JSS) class to the Senior Secondary School 3(SSS3). We only run Grades 10, 11 and 12, which is equivalent to SSS1, 2 and 3. We prepare them for the International General Certificate Secondary Examination (IGCSE), Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and General Examination Development Test (GED) ,Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT),Test of English as a Foreign Language (Toefl), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Cambridge A’Level among others. For students who are planning to study abroad, these examinations are more acceptable and relevant in countries such as the USA, Canada, UK, among others.

 

Poor foundation at the primary and secondary levels of education negatively impacts students’ competence at tertiary level. How can we curtail this trend in our educational system?

It’s very important to pay attention to the educational foundation of any child. Foundation is very important when building any structure, and once the foundation is not right, whatever is built on it would not be right. And that’s why so many students find it difficult to cope when they move from secondary school to a higher institution of learning, and at the end, they don’t do well academically. So, I want to encourage most of our education stakeholders to ensure proper training of our students by employing the application-based method.

 

What do you think is missing in our educational curriculum?

I am of a strong view that the curriculum should be based on learning outcomes that can help a child to be able to live a sustainable life. Current events in the global arena, especially the shift in technological paradigms to new constructs such as artificial intelligence, robotics engineering and different emerging concepts and terms in various fields, are factors to be considered in redesigning a befitting school curriculum for Nigerian institutions.

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