Dr Mosadioluwa Adegoriite, an educationist and a corporate social responsibility director in a construction firm, Davidol Construction Limited. She is a certified education consultant specialising in early childhood education, educational foundations, religious studies, corrections and instruction for many schools while books are approved for use in the school curriculum. In this interview with YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE, she speaks on the education sector in Nigeria, role of educators in the lives of children, her publications and lessons outside the textbooks among other issues.
What is your assessment of the education sector in Nigeria?
Let’s leave assessment for now because talk is cheap. Our educational situation in Nigeria is not a thing of joy. And I can say this is because when the appropriate value of something is not known, abuse is what we have. Intentionally, I used the word abuse because it is inevitable; and because I can see that our education sector needs total overhauling. The foundation of learning; the formative years have been wasted, and what we have now is the world giving reconstruction of the faulty foundation so as not to cause more damage but can we say that is working, there are a lot of considerations before we can say that.
Do you believe that the role of educators in the lives of children is huge like that of parents?
Yes and that is an unshakeable fact. A well prepared and passionate educator plays a huge role in the lives of children. And why do I say this? First, educators are the first point of teaching after parents, and this is where it starts before we can now take it to the computer stage. Like parents, educators play the all-encompassing role of teaching, correcting and molding children. Many educators if they are worth their calling will help parents understand their children better. When you observe the roles of educators, the saying, no nation rises above her teacher naturally comes to mind, Finland is a good example of how educators shape the nation.
You have done so much to help students, what has been your experience?
In my 47 years and some months old to the glory of God, I can say my experience spans three decades; my personal experience at educating children started early in life; I began this partnering job with God as a teenager in my mother’s church members school at Olrunsogo. I started at the age of 17 immediately after my secondary school where I was able to demonstrate the love of teaching to fellow learners in the midst of young learners by dividing them to different learning abilities in other to really impact them though in a particular class. By doing this, I was able to assist and I am so grateful because I was really encouraged and was able to record great success. Though I spent two weeks, it was a great time for the school and the parents of the learners. But my admission came, I was admitted to study International Relations in the Faculty of Administration and I had to leave in less than a month. However, the next opportunity came with many children both biological and adopted and to the glory of God, it has been with thanksgiving. Presently, I consult for schools; I teach English Arts, I look into the curriculum to make it align with globally accepted standards and I publish research works on education, early childhood education and I am a curriculum advocate. Also, I do family support services and parental stuffs. My first publication was in 2019 and it was adapted on the renewal of the 2014 curriculum by the Government of President Good luck Jonathan.
What lessons will you say you have learnt on the field that textbooks didn’t teach you about education?
Every lesson you get as an educator that is not in the textbooks can only be learnt through passion; as an educator in Nigeria, you have to show extra love to all in a way that will make them open up to you and enable you understand the best way to reach each student. I learnt that quality education and not just education is what impacts lives. I also learnt that our ability should be stretched to people irrespective of their socio-economic status and this is the reason I take up some schools to train their teachers; some for fun and some for the token or for what they could afford; the idea is to ensure everyone is carried along and given holistic education. An educator must look beyond pecuniary gains if the person will make a difference and touch lives.
Some believe that women educators are more effective, do you agree?
I do not want to say it is true. I have seen male educators that are so effective; we have to be scientific in our assertions. The only thing I can say as a fact is that women naturally have nurturing instincts and this may position them to be good educators.
What do you think about decline in moral value in today’s society?
A great factor in this is negligence from the family unit; many parents have left their responsibilities to others who have no real stake in how their wards turn out. It all boils down to the family due to the theory of nature and nurture.
What do you think about decline in moral value in today’s society?
I believe that we should all focus on what is important and stop celebrating what doesn’t matter. The era of celebrating excellence and hard work is gone; all people worship now is material things and unexplainable wealth. It is the duty of everyone to work at reorientation and revival of values
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