Senate President seeks review of academic curricula of schools

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has sought the review of academic curricula of schools at all levels to improve on the nation’s education sector.

He made the call while declaring opened, a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TetFund on Monday at the National Assembly, Complex.

The hearing was on establishment of Federal College of Education Mutum Biyu, Taraba, Federal College of Education, Giwa, Kaduna and Federal College of Education Ibokun, Osun.

Lawan said that Nigeria was late in reviewing the schools’ curricula to reflect the desire to produce manpower for the 21st economy.

“We cannot continue to use curricula of over 40 years ago and expect to have an economy that is knowledge-based; there are so many countries that have no oil and gas but because they have concentrated in developing their education sector, today, their economies are doing very well largely because of what the people can do.

“We need to review our curricula at all levels. If we have to produce teachers that will teach students who will later become teachers, then you need to have teachers that are digitally oriented,” Lawan said.

He said that the Senate was approaching the bills with great concern because education would always be important in the determination of a nation’s development and progress.

“When the people are educated they are not just knowledgeable but are in good position to influence advancement of their enhanced capabilities and capacities.

“The three institutions relate to the specialised training of teachers. Teachers are important tool in the provision of quality education.

“In impacting of knowledge, they are expected to be more knowledgeable and skilled this is why the quality of education is partly dependent on the quality of available teachers.

“To improve the quality of teachers therefore we have to have excellent institutions,” he said.

Earlier, Chairman of Committee, Ahmed Kaita said that the establishment of the federal institutions would help to provide access to higher education to Nigerian youths and provide added educational opportunities for the people of the states as well as other Nigerians desirous of higher education.

“This will help reduce the frustration encountered by prospective students seeking to get admission into tertiary institutions in the country. In addition, it will aid the development of the country’s human capital and create employment to a sizable number of Nigerians.”