BEING A LECTURE DELIVERED IN COMMEMORATION OF 17TH ONLINE PRESENTATION AND DIALOGUE OF TODAY'S LEADER FORUM (2018) ON MOMENT LIKE THIS, SITUATION LIKE THIS, IN A COUNTRY LIKE THIS ON THE TOPIC " EDUCATION SECTOR ; CURRICULUM BASTARDIZATION AND LOW PROFESSIONALISM- SEN. ANIBACHOR MICHAEL OKECHUKWU

BEING A LECTURE DELIVERED IN COMMEMORATION OF 17TH ONLINE PRESENTATION AND DIALOGUE OF TODAY'S LEADER FORUM (2018)

THEME ;MOMENT LIKE THIS, SITUATION LIKE THIS, IN A COUNTRY LIKE THIS.

SPEAKER :SEN. ANIBACHOR MICHAEL OKECHUKWU

TOPIC : EDUCATION SECTOR ; CURRICULUM BASTARDIZATION AND  LOW PROFESSIONALISM

This is plague that bedeviled our education sector for years.
Years back while I was growing up from Nursery school,you have subject that guides you due to the fact that the  curriculum was still intact and possibly those in charge were passionate about building future leaders.
You will agree with me that the curriculum for the past 8years now isn't helping us starting from nursery to secondary which poses a treat to the future our Nigerian students and leaders to be.
Curriculum for Nursery that teaches children how to pronounce words correctly,read and write as well.
Primary teaches children how to read audibly, write well and enhanced the thinking abilities.
Secondary brings the students to the world outside and Higher Institutions teaches the students how to achieve those aspirations.

Seriously going through our curriculum and seeing what the students are passionate through today it is appalling that it has been disorganized that's why you see a child in primary 3 offering 10-15 subjects, those in secondary section offering close to 18-24 subjects with ambiguous names.
Imagine when subjects like Social studies, Religious studies and some others are merged together.
Education  Sector for me is the bedrock of all other professions which need full attention and the right hands to be in charge which leads me to Low Professionalism as a problem as well.

Why will a student who just finished secondary school starts teaching and when you ask about qualification he or she present SSCE.
Educationalist here present will bear me witness that if you must be a teacher you must be qualified and being qualified means you must have the following qualification NCE,NTI,PTTP,B.Ed and many others and with this you're been groomed already to know how to handle and nurture children of all ages in school
What are the causes of Curriculum Bastardization and Low Professionalism..

Curriculum Bastardization Causes
*Incompetent hands
*Government Policies.
*Uneducated committee.
*Government Appointment

Causes of Low Professionalism

*Lack of competent hand in our tertiary institutions.
* Money factors (sorting as known in schools to buy marks)
*Substandard institutions.
Solutions to the existing problems.

*Legislative intervention
*Government intervention

Legislative intervention
If Our legislators will make it a point of duty to make sure that our Ministers and commissioners of education must be qualified before taking over such roles.
Bills should be passed to guide this because it's a garbage in garbage out stuff.That is you can't expect someone who read Chemical Engineering to be Minister for education.

Government intervention
What I mean by this that committee been set up by government should make sure before accrediting university,polytechnic or mono techniques they must meet the basic requirements as well.
Many schools don't have laboratory, no lesson plan ,teaching aides so what will you use to groom this students
Laws should be enacted that School owners must be Educationists because with this the passion will be passed to the teachers and their welfare properly taken care of.

Lastly Teaching profession need to be given high regard in all even about politicians.
I dream of a country when teachers will be the highest paid because these will make individuals spend a lot to show themselves approved.

Thanks and God bless.