>
The Nigerian education policy was designed in favour of science, technology and mathematics, the executive Vice Chairman the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP), Dr. Tunji Olaopa, has contended.
The scholar spoke on Tuesday at a research fair held at the University of Ibadan (UI).
In his lecture titled, Societal Transformation: New Directions for Arts and Humanities Research,” Olaopa the design gives the impression that only the above subjects are relevant in technological development whereas arts and humanities offer a bigger outlook and improved approach to development as exemplified in many developed nations.
He argued that there are the psychological, sociological, economic and cultural approach to virtually every development effort, which on a deeper consideration, count for outstanding success and impact or otherwise of the efforts.
He then called for a summit of arts and humanities experts to recreate the disciplines in such a way that their curricula will reveal their strategic role in development efforts.
He said: “I strongly suspect that to reinvent the humanities is to rethink our pedagogical dynamics and dynamism. A pedagogical and research summit, for instance, will become an occasion that facilitates discussion on reassessing the institutional and intellectual hinderances to creative curriculum that meets the expectations of the time. This will be a summit that will address intellectual, administrative and institutional issues relevant for fast-tracking the humanities into the Twenty First Century and Nigeria’s development condition…”
Earlier, Chairman of the fair, Mr Paul Gbedebo, the Group Managing Director, Flour Mills PLC, bemoaned the unemployability of many Nigerian graduates, saying his company was forced to extend training for newly recruited Management Trainees to three years after discovering the skill and character gap.
The fair was tagged: “UI-Town Connect”. According to the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Abel Olayinka, the UI-Town Connect was one way to bring the gown closer to the town.