Creativity is at the forefront of problem-solving, it is an act of using our imagination to work things out. If we can harness our power of imagination to figure out ways we can boost secondary education in Nigeria, we will be amazed by the kind of results we are going to get.
By putting our creative faculties to work, we will be able to make learning more interesting and more engaging in the classroom.
Without question, secondary schools in Nigeria are in need of some fixing. This post explores some creative ways we can use to boost or improve secondary education in Nigeria.
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We are not talking about funding or reducing overpopulation, but simple actionable steps we can take that will bring immense positive change in the classroom, so that we can improve on the current state of education in Nigeria.
If you want to see a group of students give their best, you should consider creating a system whereby they get rewarded for every milestone they achieve.
A reward system works pretty well in the classroom, it encourages all the students to work hard because they want to be rewarded, and it is something they have to earn and they actually put effort into getting their work done.
The simple prospect of a reward can change how students approach school work, and it doesn’t have to be anything expensive or even materialistic, achievement badges and other similar awards can serve as the reward. It is the feeling of being rewarded that count.
The best teaching method is always flexible, it should always have room for sudden changes and try to adapt to them.
Changes might occur in the school curriculum, as it is usually revised and updated regularly for secondary schools in Nigeria, and it is required of teachers to adopt those changes in real-time. Without a flexible approach, that will not be possible at all.
This is yet another way to tackle some of the problems of education in Nigeria. It feels archaic and needs to loosen up a bit. By being flexible in the teaching methodology, students will become more progressive, and be able to survive in a world out there after their graduation because they are taught to adapt to changes in their environment.
This is the age of industry 4.0, in other words, ‘age of the internet’. Everything is slowly moving on and becoming integrated online, so is education in Nigeria. There are a lot of resources and tools you can find and utilize online.
Some secondary schools in Nigeria have already taken the online learning route, and are substituting between reading from textbooks and resources they collated from the internet. Secondary education will go a long way if some of its classes are integrating online learning technologies.
Home tutoring is an important aspect of secondary education in Nigeria that is benefiting directly from online learning. With the help of online technology, now a child can find a private tutor online and learn their lessons from home via webcam.
There are many resources that can be found online, a good example is our very own YouTube educational channel Edufirst TV. Hundreds of videos await, there are topics from most of the top school subjects such as Biology, Physics, Maths, English, Accounting and Social studies.
The influence of parents in their child’s education is very profound. For a child to achieve those top marks and perform well in school, they will need the loving support of their parents or guardians.
Students are not expected to simply become good from being taught in class alone, they have to be committed at home as they are at school. Secondary school in Nigeria is a volatile stage for children, there are a number of things that could divert their attention if care is not taken, it is both the responsibility of the teachers/school management and of the parents to supervise and support the ambitions of their children.
So parents have to play their role and stay proactive for secondary education in Nigeria to improve.
Build stuff, make things and sew materials and make circuit boards, do them together. A class project is a sure-fire way of fostering creativity.
It also brings unity to the classroom. Projects in secondary education provide students with a means to explore other skills and experience the joy of making.
Students can make class posters together for instance; some draw the pictures, some design the calligraphy, while others focus on the water painting, and so on.
Their projects are usually simple experiments or crafts that could be done in a day in the classroom.
From time to time, the school administration can organize for a professional to show up at the school.
There are many professionals with different job titles that can inspire the kids with their presence, and of course, along with a short speech about their work and who they are.
Inviting pros to secondary schools in Nigeria inspires the students on who they want to become in the future.
Meeting career experts at their school is like meeting their real-life heroes. Imagine aspiring doctors meeting actual doctors, it is a mind-blowing experience for them.
If a school can spare the time and budget, it should send students on a field trip every once in a while. And it doesn’t have to break the bank, the field trip could be visiting a nearby factory.
NB: If visiting factories and other hazardous places for kids, make sure to always observe safety first.
Enrich their experience by showing them how the society they live in works, by organizing a trip to a factory, a mill, a farm, a zoo, the state house, and so on. Topics from secondary school touch on these places regularly, it will be enthralling to visit them.