Worried about the current spate of challenges bedeviling the education sector especially as it pertains to ultilisation of mother tongue in teaching and learning in schools, Fafunwa Educational Foundation, an organisation established to promote academic excellence and raise the standard of education in the country has concluded plans to host the 2014 edition of the foundation’s lecture and indigenous languages awards.
The proposed lecture titled Mother tongue instruction and the educational development of the Nigeria child scheduled for 23 September at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos will be delivered by Bayo Lawal, a professor from the department of art education, university of Ilorin.
Kayode Alao, chairman of the academic committee of Fafunwa education foundation and member of board of trustee while speaking at a pre-event press conference in Lagos said the foundation have over the years remained focused in its goal of promoting best practices in education in accordance with the aspiration of the man who established the foundation Late Babatunde Fafunwa.
According to him, “the foundation have over the years promoted excellence in education research, excellence in teaching and learning and whatever that would make the Nigeria child a better adult that is what this foundation is committed to doing”.
Alao stressed that the future of any country is in the school system, many Nigerian youths are jobless. “The school system has being bleeding in the last couple of decades that is why there is insecurity. So we are here to improve the school system, we are here to protect the future of nigeria, we are here for a better society and the school system is the starting point if the society wants to make progress”.
Pat Akumabor, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee of the foundation, lecture will also serve as a platform for constructive engagement of critical stakeholders to ensure the promotion of mother tongue in teaching and learning in schools
According to her, “In Europe and Asia where children are taught in their mother tongue, they do better and you know that when a child thinks first in his or her mother tongue before translating into English, a lot of the import of that message is lost”.
“Mother tongue instruction makes children to be creative and innovative” she said.
KELECHI EWUZIE
