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REPORT ON THE 30TH ANNUAL CONGRESS OF

THE NIGERIAN ACADEMY OF EDUCATION HELD AT

THE NATIONAL TEACHERS INSTITUTE (NTI), KADUNA

FROM 2ND TO 6TH NOVEMBER, 2015

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FOCUSThe presentation will be made under the following Subheadings:

• Introduction• What is an Academy?• The Nigerian Academy of Education• The 2015 Annual Congress of the Academy • Observations from the events of the Congress.• Recommendations by the Nigerian Academy of

Education• Conclusion.

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INTRODUCTION

I have presented the report to the Vice Chancellor earlier - I think because of the appropriateness of the theme of the Congress, coupled with the observations and recommendations made at the end of the Congress,…

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the Vice Chancellor considered it worthwhile to re-present the report to the faculty and staff in one of their Fellowship meeting.

INTRODUCTION Contd.

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However, in order to understand the need for this presentation it is necessary to make some clarifications. The word ‘Academy’ needs clarification, followed by the Nigerian Academy of Education and its objectives.

INTRODUCTION Contd.

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WHAT IS AN ACADEMY?

An academy is an institution of Higher learning, research or honorary membership.

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The name traces back to Plato’s school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and skill located in north of Athens, Greece.

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Akademia, the name of the sanctuary, was actually derived from Hekademia, the archaic or original name of the sanctuary. Plato has many successors among whom was Aristotle. I mentioned Aristotle because he is commonly associated with the origin of the concept of Academy.

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Academy moved from sanctuary to literary and philosophical associations. There were many academies scattered all over the world. Most education institutions were referred to as academies before the 17th Century.

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Initially, Academies were merely circles of friends or clients gathered around learned men or wealthy patrons and were dedicated to literary pastimes rather than methodical study. They nevertheless helped to keep up the general esteem for literary and other studies.

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By 17th and 18th Century, academies began to specialize on particular topics (arts, language, sciences, etc.) and began to be founded and funded by kings and other sovereigns.

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These way, there were academies all over Europe and US. There were academies of the arts, Linguistic academies, Academy of Sciences and Military Academies.

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In Nigeria, we joined the rest of the world by having six academies, namely

The Nigerian Academy of Science

The Nigerian Academy of Engineering

The Nigerian Academy of Education

The Social Science Academy of Nigerian

The Nigerian Academy of Letters

The Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy.

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These Academics are the Apex of the relevant subject Associations. By Apex, we mean the highest body professionally and academically. Whatever recommendations or pronouncement from them have more weight than those of the subject associations.

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For example, the Nigerian Academy of Education is the highest Professional and Academic body on education matters. Subject Associations like Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, Curriculum Organization of Nigeria, Educational Philosophy Association, etc. are within the Academy of Education.

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The NIGERIAN Academy of Education

I chose to join the Academy of Education because I am an educational physicist.

The Aims and Objectives of the Academy of Education are: To

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serve as a forum for Nigerian educationists at the highest level, whose opinion on education commands professional authority and respect;

improve the quality of education throughout the country by taking the initiative to express views on plans, programmes, policies and practices in education;

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promote the ethics of the teaching profession;

advise on the minimum entry qualification into the teaching profession;

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promote excellence in education

commission studies on educational issues as they affect Nigeria;

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publish an education journal;

perform other activities that promote the professional standing of the Academy.

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THE 2015 ANNUAL CONGRESS OF THE ACADEMY

In pursuing these objectives, the Academy organizes an annual Congress in the first week of November every year at different locations in Nigeria. This year, 2015, such congress was held at Kaduna, hosted by the National Teachers Institute (NTI).

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The Congress was attended by members and Dignitaries such as: The Governor of Kaduna State, ably represented by the Vice Chancellor of National Open University, Professor Vincent Tenebe; the key-note presenter, Professor Olugbemiro Jegede who is presently the Secretary to Kogi State Government; the President of the Academy, Professor U.M.O. Ivowi;...

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…the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Nomadic Education, Professor Rashid Adewumi Aderinoye; the Rector of Kaduna Polytechnic, Dr. Muhammad Bello Ibrahim, Professor Ango Abdullahi, former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and the Emir of Birni Gwari who represented the Emir for Zauzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris.

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The Theme of the Congress is:

TRANSFORMING EDUCATION IN NIGERIA TO GLOBAL LEVEL OF RELEVANCE AND COMPETITIVENESS

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The Sub Themes are:

1. Assessment, Evaluation and

Monitoring

2. Teaching and Learning

Environment.

3. Skills Development for

Knowledge-based economy.

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Honorary Fellowship awards were conferred on the following eminent personalities;

1. Professor Ango Abdullahi, former Vice

Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University;

2. Mallam Zubairu Jubril, the Emir of Birni

Gwari; and

3. Mrs Rabi Ado Tenebe, the wife of the Vice

Chancellor of Open University, Professor

Vincent Tenebe.

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Regular Fellowship were conferred on four members of the Association. Apart from the Key-note address and lead papers, Seventy (70) other papers were presented at the congress. The major issues that arose from the key-note address, the lead papers and contributed papers at the congress were extensively discussed in groups to arrive at the following observations and recommendations:

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OBSERVATIONS1. A general dissatisfaction with Nigeria’s

education which has slid down global relevance and competitiveness;

2. The education system in Nigeria is weak in quality and quantity indicators;

3. General dissatisfaction with the quality and quantity of Graduates from the country’s education Institutions at all levels;

4. A preponderance of unemployable youths who pose a threat to peace and security;

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5. Good political and institutional governance as the key to education of our dreams;

6. The realization that today and the future belong to the youths whose strength must be appropriately channeled for productivity;

7. The nations politico – economic woes negative impact on education forcing it to degenerate to irrelevancy of entrepreneurship education;

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8. The Curriculum at all levels de-emphasize the relevance of entrepreneurship education;

9. Nigeria needs highly educated, mobile and adaptable workforce that is multi – tasked for global competitiveness; and

10. The number of Nigerian students studying in foreign countries including less endowed African countries is an indication of the poor quality, relevance and competitiveness of Nigerian education.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the above observations, the following recommendations were made by the Nigerian Academy of Education

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1. The Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE)

should as a matter of critical importance

convene a national conference on education to

brainstorm on strategies to transform Nigeria’s

education to meet national and international

relevance and competitiveness;

2. Government should pursue a transformational

education that leads to knowledge and

intensive development directed to capacity

building with cutting edge training and

acquisition;

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3. Government should revisit the approach to

entrepreneurship education as a means to reduce youth

unemployment in the country;

4. Government should move away from spending and

investing on education as a paradigm shift in addressing

the many human and physical shortfalls in education;

5. Good corporate governance that bespeaks of

accountability, transparency, efficiency, leadership are

sine-qua non in a credible transformation of education in

the country;

6. The education system should be made more stable,

attractive and competency- based in order to discourage

the trend of seeking overseas studies;

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7. Effort to transform education must capitalize on values and

creativity as central curriculum reform agenda;

8. Education institutions should be separated from politics

such as appointing chief executives of tertiary institutions

who do not have educational qualifications;

9. Government should create enabling legal framework and

practical conditionalities that will make the Public Private

Partnership in education to thrive; and

10. Educational transformation requires sustainable quality

control measures and supervision of both human and

learning resources bolstered by e – training of educational

personnel. This should be pursued.

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The observations which emanate from the Congress activities and the recommendations made are relevant to us in Landmark University.

Our vision emanates from the mandate given by God to the Chancellor of the University, Bishop (Dr.) David Oyedepo.

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Education in Nigeria had been in shamble for a long time. It appears as if the youths have no future. Corruption is the order of the day. There is over dependence on petroleum as our main source of income, yet there are many poor people an Nigeria who can hardly get one square meal per day.

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It is for this reason that Landmark University is making a radical innovation in Nigeria education system. The innovation concentrates on preparing new generation of leaders who will restore the dignity of Nigeria and the black race all over the world.

The mission is to empower students towards national

reconstruction, reconciliation, socio-economic

development and restoration of human dignity by

driving a change philosophy via the vehicle of higher

education: This is in the direction of transforming

education in Nigeria to Global level of relevance and

competitiveness.

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Furthermore, the education in Landmark

University is directed towards producing an

agrarian society where food will be surplus for

everyone. Landmark University education has

already incorporated the attitudes, ethics and

value system that can take Nigeria education to

global level of relevance and competitiveness.

I am happy to be part of the Committee that will plan for a National Summit on Education where all present problems will be tackled and solutions sought.

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We had two or three of such summit in form of conferences before, but it is our hope that the proposed summit will be more effective and result-oriented. Areas such as curriculum matters, teacher education, capacity building in education, quality assurance in education, future of the youths, entrepreneurship education, Private Partnership in education, etc. will be discussed at the Summit.

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As stake holders in Education, this is an opportunity for us to make representations on specific issues for consideration at the summit. These can be in form of memoranda which you can submit through me to the Committee.

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Let us popularize our educational activities in Landmark. We are trying but we cannot do it alone. We should advertise ourselves to Nigerians.

This will help in not only winning people to our side but to let the whole world associate will our system of education which to my mind is in the direction of transforming Nigeria education to global level of relevance and competitiveness.

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