Nigeria can become a notable learning society in the mould of countries that have achieved that status. According to the Country Comparison Index of Literacy Level by country in 2012, Nigeria ranked a dismal 161 place out of 184 countries with 66% literacy rate. This makes us one of the world’s most illiterate countries! All good thinking Nigerians ought to confront and challenge this trend. It should not be allowed to fester any longer and become irreversible. We can achieve this by building a learning society where merit and scholarship have meaning and value.
Embrace of wilful ignorance
Ignorance is a natural state except you beat it back with the instrument of learning and enlightenment. Because learning requires concentrated effort and investment, people generally tend to follow the path of least resistance – live with ignorance.
The real calamity is when ignorance gains prevalence and ascendancy, and, more tragically, the ignorant climb into leadership. Ignorance has blossomed into a growth industry in Nigeria. If knowledge is power, then ignorance is disempowerment. The vast majority of the citizenry are deliberately disempowered by a handful of conspirators and collaborators. People prefer others ignorant so they can deprive, dispossess, and disenfranchise them. That is the simple reason it appears Nigerians who are in positions, take advantage and prefer for all others to be ignorant; they even aid and abet the spread of ignorance.
The Premium Times Columnist Bámidélé Adémólá-Olátéjú in her column BAMIDELE UPFRONT! published on May 21, 2013 titled Wanted: A Culture of Learning wrote "Nigeria stopped learning by the late 1970′s when it started defunding education, stigmatizing vocational education and apprenticeship by excessive glorification of white collar jobs. By the early 1990′s, the failure of critical thinking and the triumph of rote learning started manifesting itself. By the 2000′s, the circle was complete; Nigeria was in full embrace of wilful ignorance. "
Curious but aloof where it matters
Nigerians are curious, I have discovered, but about the wrong things. Of course, the way and manner in which we lap up gossip is one revealing indicator. Yet the better option would be to become curious about the appropriate things and apply commitment to these issues. Many Nigerians lack a deep and sustained sense of civic responsibility. You may meet people with very strong personal moral standards but poor sense of social responsibility.
Professor Okey Ndibe makes allusion to this phenomenon in the social commentary Shaping the Future (and the Nigeria) You Want published in Premium Times on December 31, 2012. He wrote "People are apt to understand this connection between action and achievement when it pertains to their personal aspirations. Think, for a moment, about the people you know who became excellent medical doctors, inspiring teachers, first-class architects, outstanding writers or extraordinary musicians. Often, they started dreaming at quite young ages about what they wanted to be when they grew up. And, having identified their goal, they spent a lot of time preparing themselves. They read tomes of books in their desired field or practiced and practiced until they attained mastery. Many (perhaps most) people understand that hard work is significant for success in personal pursuits. Unfortunately, when it comes to social aspirations – for example, the lessening of poverty or corruption – many of us lose sight of their deep personal role."
Ending a culture of ignorance
The key is all-round education – civic, formal, informal and all kinds. I strongly recommend a good education for the citizenry.
Education, whether in the school environment or in a non-formal context has political impact as it can perpetuate inequalities and exclusion, or promote social cohesion. The former has largely been the case in Nigeria. It has thus become imperative for government to demonstrate the seriousness needed in addressing the low literacy level. Nevertheless, a good education requires rigorous planning and robust commitment to build a learning society. Responsive and effective leadership should deliberately seek to end a culture of ignorance and promote vibrant scholarship and due merit.
Again in Wanted: A Culture of Learning, Ms Adémólá-Olátéjú goes on "Education, literacy, technological knowhow and skills are mobile, ubiquitous and fluid. These have become critical factors influencing the dictates of political and economic success. We need a learning formula that will help us understand and navigate the intersection of knowledge, responsibility and accountability. Nigerians need a fresh start, a redirection, a brand new focus to help conjugate our bifurcated destiny. We need a chance to move on. We need a citizenry imbued with ethics, ideals, ideologies, morals, norms, morality and values. When we are learned, we will understand the dynamics of life and living."
Critical thinking not rote learning
The functional education I am advocating here should promote critical thinking not rote learning. This means a radical re-design of our present learning curricula across board. This position is the focus of the last PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY in this blog.
Many people have tried to paint a picture of the problem of formal education. However I like the way Kenneth Wallace, consultant and executive coach, captures it in his article Knowledge, Education, Learning and Thinking: What Does It All Mean?
Kenneth Wallace wrote "The problem is that formal education offers no heuristic that students might use to organize and focus their thinking about everything they learn or to help them discover how to practically apply what they learn to the adventure of living. How often did I scurry between classes in college going from biology to philosophy, physics to religious studies, psychology to sociology knowing the content of the courses but without understanding how they all might be mutually corroborative and collaborative in providing a comprehensive foundation for innovative thinking about how to better live and enjoy my life? It took at least a couple of decades for me to even begin to appreciate the intrinsic symbiosis of the volumes of knowledge I had acquired throughout my higher education experience."
Actually many people may never arrive at the point where they begin to appreciate the intrinsic symbiosis of the volumes of knowledge they managed to acquire throughout any of their learning experiences. However founding learning on solid critical thinking and problem solving helps learners see linkages and associations. But, no, critical thinking is not just about scientific or technological breakthroughs. It also plays an important role in solving personal problems we experience in our own life. Everything from relationships to work requires some element of thinking and problem-solving. And it is up to us to think about our lives and improve them to the best of our ability using our knowledge and experience.
Open the library doors – once more
The real death of learning in Nigeria began with the neglect and eventual abandonment of public library culture.
In his memoir, I. Asimov: A Memoir, Isaac Asimov, prolific writer and American immigrant, wrote "I received the fundamentals of my education in school, but that was not enough. My real education, the superstructure, the details, the true architecture, I got out of the public library. For an impoverished child whose family could not afford to buy books, the library was the open door to wonder and achievement, and I can never be sufficiently grateful that I had the wit to charge through that door and make the most of it. Now, when I read constantly about the way in which library funds are being cut and cut, I can only think that the door is closing and that American society has found one more way to destroy itself."
Ikhide Ikheloa blogger, social and literary critic, wrote in his blog post titled The Library Lives Still, "As a little boy growing up in Nigeria, I travelled the world in books. The walls of my school’s library fairly throbbed with the power of words. I loved the library and it was one place where you could find me, basking in the smell of books. I remember the few distractions that kept me from the library of my childhood."
We need accessible and well-stocked libraries once more – whatever kinds may be suitable, and whatever form is affordable. Along with extra-curricular activities which encourage interactions with books.
Anti-intellectualism is a dead end
We have a simple choice to make – ignorance or knowledge. Even if ignorance is a natural state we do not have to vote for remaining ignorant, because that would be costly and inexcusable. We can choose to avoid following the path of least resistance and cancel every traceable knowledge deficit we can find.
Nigeria should not be left behind and left in a lurch. Let us get educated; get informed; get creative; and get innovative. We can build the country into a true Learning Society.
Benefits of a Learning Society
A Learning Society would value learning for its own sake; it would place emphasis on learning about self, relationships and community.
A Learning Society:
• would be challenging, questioning, creative, curious and risk-taking
• would be compassionate, collaborative, caring and playful
• would promote social justice, be open to change and have an international perspective
A Learning Society would be open to all. There would be access for everyone with a spectrum of opportunities, entry points, locations and routes and it would not necessarily be about formal recognition, qualifications or be institution based.
The learner would be at the heart of such a society with the natural human desire to learn acknowledged, affirmed and nurtured.
The Learning Society would be aspirational, inspirational and courageous; invest in individuality, in being in community, in persons in relationship, both with each other and the world.
NIGERIA CAN BECOME THE LEARNING SOCIETY OF OUR DREAMS.
Embrace of wilful ignorance
Ignorance is a natural state except you beat it back with the instrument of learning and enlightenment. Because learning requires concentrated effort and investment, people generally tend to follow the path of least resistance – live with ignorance.
The real calamity is when ignorance gains prevalence and ascendancy, and, more tragically, the ignorant climb into leadership. Ignorance has blossomed into a growth industry in Nigeria. If knowledge is power, then ignorance is disempowerment. The vast majority of the citizenry are deliberately disempowered by a handful of conspirators and collaborators. People prefer others ignorant so they can deprive, dispossess, and disenfranchise them. That is the simple reason it appears Nigerians who are in positions, take advantage and prefer for all others to be ignorant; they even aid and abet the spread of ignorance.
The Premium Times Columnist Bámidélé Adémólá-Olátéjú in her column BAMIDELE UPFRONT! published on May 21, 2013 titled Wanted: A Culture of Learning wrote "Nigeria stopped learning by the late 1970′s when it started defunding education, stigmatizing vocational education and apprenticeship by excessive glorification of white collar jobs. By the early 1990′s, the failure of critical thinking and the triumph of rote learning started manifesting itself. By the 2000′s, the circle was complete; Nigeria was in full embrace of wilful ignorance. "
Curious but aloof where it matters
Nigerians are curious, I have discovered, but about the wrong things. Of course, the way and manner in which we lap up gossip is one revealing indicator. Yet the better option would be to become curious about the appropriate things and apply commitment to these issues. Many Nigerians lack a deep and sustained sense of civic responsibility. You may meet people with very strong personal moral standards but poor sense of social responsibility.
Professor Okey Ndibe makes allusion to this phenomenon in the social commentary Shaping the Future (and the Nigeria) You Want published in Premium Times on December 31, 2012. He wrote "People are apt to understand this connection between action and achievement when it pertains to their personal aspirations. Think, for a moment, about the people you know who became excellent medical doctors, inspiring teachers, first-class architects, outstanding writers or extraordinary musicians. Often, they started dreaming at quite young ages about what they wanted to be when they grew up. And, having identified their goal, they spent a lot of time preparing themselves. They read tomes of books in their desired field or practiced and practiced until they attained mastery. Many (perhaps most) people understand that hard work is significant for success in personal pursuits. Unfortunately, when it comes to social aspirations – for example, the lessening of poverty or corruption – many of us lose sight of their deep personal role."
Ending a culture of ignorance
The key is all-round education – civic, formal, informal and all kinds. I strongly recommend a good education for the citizenry.
Education, whether in the school environment or in a non-formal context has political impact as it can perpetuate inequalities and exclusion, or promote social cohesion. The former has largely been the case in Nigeria. It has thus become imperative for government to demonstrate the seriousness needed in addressing the low literacy level. Nevertheless, a good education requires rigorous planning and robust commitment to build a learning society. Responsive and effective leadership should deliberately seek to end a culture of ignorance and promote vibrant scholarship and due merit.
Again in Wanted: A Culture of Learning, Ms Adémólá-Olátéjú goes on "Education, literacy, technological knowhow and skills are mobile, ubiquitous and fluid. These have become critical factors influencing the dictates of political and economic success. We need a learning formula that will help us understand and navigate the intersection of knowledge, responsibility and accountability. Nigerians need a fresh start, a redirection, a brand new focus to help conjugate our bifurcated destiny. We need a chance to move on. We need a citizenry imbued with ethics, ideals, ideologies, morals, norms, morality and values. When we are learned, we will understand the dynamics of life and living."
Critical thinking not rote learning
The functional education I am advocating here should promote critical thinking not rote learning. This means a radical re-design of our present learning curricula across board. This position is the focus of the last PALAVER TREE COMMENTARY in this blog.
Many people have tried to paint a picture of the problem of formal education. However I like the way Kenneth Wallace, consultant and executive coach, captures it in his article Knowledge, Education, Learning and Thinking: What Does It All Mean?
Kenneth Wallace wrote "The problem is that formal education offers no heuristic that students might use to organize and focus their thinking about everything they learn or to help them discover how to practically apply what they learn to the adventure of living. How often did I scurry between classes in college going from biology to philosophy, physics to religious studies, psychology to sociology knowing the content of the courses but without understanding how they all might be mutually corroborative and collaborative in providing a comprehensive foundation for innovative thinking about how to better live and enjoy my life? It took at least a couple of decades for me to even begin to appreciate the intrinsic symbiosis of the volumes of knowledge I had acquired throughout my higher education experience."
Actually many people may never arrive at the point where they begin to appreciate the intrinsic symbiosis of the volumes of knowledge they managed to acquire throughout any of their learning experiences. However founding learning on solid critical thinking and problem solving helps learners see linkages and associations. But, no, critical thinking is not just about scientific or technological breakthroughs. It also plays an important role in solving personal problems we experience in our own life. Everything from relationships to work requires some element of thinking and problem-solving. And it is up to us to think about our lives and improve them to the best of our ability using our knowledge and experience.
Open the library doors – once more
The real death of learning in Nigeria began with the neglect and eventual abandonment of public library culture.
In his memoir, I. Asimov: A Memoir, Isaac Asimov, prolific writer and American immigrant, wrote "I received the fundamentals of my education in school, but that was not enough. My real education, the superstructure, the details, the true architecture, I got out of the public library. For an impoverished child whose family could not afford to buy books, the library was the open door to wonder and achievement, and I can never be sufficiently grateful that I had the wit to charge through that door and make the most of it. Now, when I read constantly about the way in which library funds are being cut and cut, I can only think that the door is closing and that American society has found one more way to destroy itself."
Ikhide Ikheloa blogger, social and literary critic, wrote in his blog post titled The Library Lives Still, "As a little boy growing up in Nigeria, I travelled the world in books. The walls of my school’s library fairly throbbed with the power of words. I loved the library and it was one place where you could find me, basking in the smell of books. I remember the few distractions that kept me from the library of my childhood."
We need accessible and well-stocked libraries once more – whatever kinds may be suitable, and whatever form is affordable. Along with extra-curricular activities which encourage interactions with books.
Anti-intellectualism is a dead end
We have a simple choice to make – ignorance or knowledge. Even if ignorance is a natural state we do not have to vote for remaining ignorant, because that would be costly and inexcusable. We can choose to avoid following the path of least resistance and cancel every traceable knowledge deficit we can find.
Nigeria should not be left behind and left in a lurch. Let us get educated; get informed; get creative; and get innovative. We can build the country into a true Learning Society.
Benefits of a Learning Society
A Learning Society would value learning for its own sake; it would place emphasis on learning about self, relationships and community.
A Learning Society:
• would be challenging, questioning, creative, curious and risk-taking
• would be compassionate, collaborative, caring and playful
• would promote social justice, be open to change and have an international perspective
A Learning Society would be open to all. There would be access for everyone with a spectrum of opportunities, entry points, locations and routes and it would not necessarily be about formal recognition, qualifications or be institution based.
The learner would be at the heart of such a society with the natural human desire to learn acknowledged, affirmed and nurtured.
The Learning Society would be aspirational, inspirational and courageous; invest in individuality, in being in community, in persons in relationship, both with each other and the world.
NIGERIA CAN BECOME THE LEARNING SOCIETY OF OUR DREAMS.
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