It is the belief of not a few education watchers that as the world continues to change, there is the need for educators to frequently reevaluate the goals of education, and the type of minds they wish to cultivate.
While education experts argue that academic achievement is very important in the education of a child, they are of the opinion that education globally demands that workers and citizens need to demonstrate “out-of the box” and non-linear thinking to solve increasingly complex challenges.
It is with this in mind and a clear vision to give children the opportunity to develop and learn through both child lead activities and structured learning that creates a true love of learning in each child and foster critical thinking that Maribet Schools, Lekki was established.
Kobune Uponi, an education consultant and director, Maribet Schools while sharing the vision behind the setting up of a school that caters for the development of children aged 3 months to 10 years noted that in today’s knowledge economy, schools from nursery to higher education must provide future-oriented education adding that children must be able to understand and solve real world problems.
Speaking at a media parley recently Uponi disclosed that the general philosophy behind the operation of the school is to deploy a curriculum that has the potential to stimulate interest in lifelong learning not only for students but also for their parents and all those with an interest in education.
According to her, “We provide a blend of opportunities for children to learn in the 6 areas covered by the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage): personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; problem solving, reasoning and numeracy; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development; creative development.”
She further said that creativity in learning allows for innovation or meaningful change in how problems are approached in the field adding that once students have learned and synthesised knowledge in their discipline it prepares them to think outside the box of their discipline.
On the role of teachers in creating a balanced approach to learning, the education opines that teachers are very important, “They are like the solid rock of education so when teachers know what they are teaching in terms of the content of what they are teaching, they must know how to deliver the content to the students,” she said.
Uponi asserts however that for teachers to achieve their sole objectives in class, they must be reflective educators who cultivate the minds of our children intellectually and in personal characters, adding that teachers must know their contents, must know how to pass the contents to their students effectively and cultivate the intellectual minds of students to synthesise and create.
In her words, “I don’t believe any child has learning difficulties; rather it is a teacher that has teaching difficulties.
KELECHI EWUZIE
