In an effort to improve the quality of education in the country, a two-day African Education Conference was organised by the Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), with the theme, “The sustainable development goals education target: Facts and fictions”.
At the event which was held on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd August, 2019 at Ade Ajayi Auditorium of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the Director-General Office of Education Quality Assurance, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo, spoke on the dangers of entrusting 21st century education to 19th-century teachers.
While delivering her speech, Mrs Soyombo cautioned that education would continue to deteriorate if left in the hands of outdated group of teachers, stressing that concerted efforts must be made to transform and integrate them into the 21st Century techniques of teaching.
She said that for the nation to witness the human capital development it desires, it is essential we go back to the drawing board and ensure we get it right with our teaching and learning.
“There is need for quality and quantitative education. We must benchmark our children with other children of the 21st Century. We have produced graduates that are not suitable for today’s jobs. We must join hands with AFED schools to lift public education,” she stated.
“A 21st century teacher allows pupils to practise what they have learnt, interact and liaise with one another; teaches them how to think and not what to think; allows them to take ownership of education; teaches them how to convey their ideas; and promotes literacy,” she added.
She also noted that such a teacher would integrate critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication into teaching methodology.
“Any teacher that ignores these four C’s is not a teacher and can hardly impact learners. We are looking for 21st Century teachers that will use a lot of open-ended questions, not the one that dictates,” she said.
The President of the association, Mr. Emmanuel Orji, said they had brought a lot of improvement to member schools, pledging to deepen their presence in the north in the next three years.
