Professor (Mrs ) Kehinde Omotayo , Faculty of Education, Ekiti State University, Ado- Ekiti , has declared that revitalization of science education is required to produce versatile learners in all our scholastic education system in Nigeria.
Professor Omotayo made this observation at her inaugural lecture entitled “Producing versatility in the Teaching –Learning process: An effort to revitalize science education, which she delivered today in the university. The inaugural lecture marked the 70th edition in the history of the institution.
In her lecture ,she noted that the quality of teaching and learning in almost educational institutions in the country were being queried on standard, as she attested to the established fact by some scholars that the quality of education acquired in the country only prepare learners to pass specific examinations without its applications outside the classroom.
She said: “ In curriculum evaluation, the quality of the product matters ,as it forms the basis for decision making process. Nigeria is still in quest of a functional curriculum, the fundamental prerequisite of any educational system that can foster national development. Teachers are expected to be more experienced and knowledgeable to assist learners to acquire new learning experiences . No nation can rise above the quality of its teachers .
Speaking further, she asserted that teaching is simply a process of making one to learn the act of setting a stage for learning to take place, describing the process as a social human interaction which involves two categories of people; the teacher and the learner.
According to her, Science teaching requires expertise to revitalize science education appropriately, adding that models of teacher preparations differ greatly with contemporary societies. She emphasized that the ideal model of science teacher preparation must involve the acquisition of knowledge that is sufficient in depth (content) as well as the pedagogy method that demonstrates professional competence. She pointed out that science reformation efforts through researches have suggested a good number of innovative instructional strategies which are ‘Hands-on’ and ‘minds-on’ activities to help learners gain better understanding of scientific concepts, stating that policy document on science teaching in Nigeria (NPE 2015) also specified activity-based teaching of science as science education reformation effort to enhance acquisition of scientific competences.,”.
She also observed that “For instruction to be effective, the quality of the subject matter content (learning materials and that of the teacher presenting it should be sacrosanct. The teacher is the classroom practitioner who must effectively manage interactions, and must satisfactorily perform his/her homothetic function (classroom role) and idiographic dimension to fulfill his/her responsibility to the school. One fundamental purpose of instructional effectiveness is to produce learners who are adequately equipped with the learning skills that the teaching provides through the use of excellent communication styles to enlist students’ active participation.
, Professor Omotayo asserted that the essence of education is to produce versatile learners who can think for themselves and engage in meaningful conversations which are products of significant learning outcomes they have acquired in an ideal science classroom.
According to her recommendation, science, henceforth, should be taught more creatively in Nigeria, as there is a dire need for paradigm shift to practicality in the teaching of Science and Science based disciplines. She emphasised that teachers of Science-based disciplines must be of the right sort by initial selection, self-effort and training.
“Acquisition of scientific imperatives have proven not to be a function of gender. All science teachers (both male and female) should avoid creating sexism in Science classrooms. There is a need to create an enabling environment for ICT usage in facilitating scientific instructions. All stakeholders such as parents, school administrators and learners should Endeavour to make it happen. Finally, government’s support is needed to execute all policies formulated accurately,” she concluded .