The spread of the coronavirus in Nigeria resulted in a lockdown of schools, restriction of movements, and tight social distancing rules. The educational sector in Nigeria was seriously affected. Lectures could no longer be done physically and even when possible, there were limitations on the number of students allowed in a classroom and restrictions on social and physical interactions.
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The Federal ministry of education in an attempt to adapt to this new normal in education introduced online and offline technology to ensure distance learning such as radio, television, edutech apps to mention a few, were being used.
The mode of education in Nigeria post-covid will experience a drastic change and will never remain the same. The typical and traditional mode of teaching that involved congregations of both tutors and pupils in a room had been halted by the pandemic and new measures have been introduced to mitigate the impact, it has become for all intents and purposes the new normal in education.
These measures have transformed the educational system and methods of both teaching and learning. Below are some of the highlights of what education will be like in the post-covid era;
Thanks to the new normal in education brought by Covid-19, Nigerian schools will have to integrate technology into their learning and teaching systems. This integration will lead to a hybrid learning environment. That is to say, there would be both online and offline education.
Institutions of learning will have to blend both types of education in order to adapt to the new normal. In the post covid era, schools will have to use a combination of both teaching methods.
Pre Covid19, the Nigerian education system was majorly all about onsite learning. This involved teachers and students having physical meetings in a classroom or lecture hall.
However, because of the harsh realities of the pandemic, Nigerian schools have been adapting to the new normal. To adapt to the new normal, teachers will have to become more flexible and open to new methods of teaching (e.g. via technology). Students, on the other hand, will have to get used to online learning and be more open to using digital devices while learning.
During the lockdown, it became imperative for several institutions of learning in Nigeria to create online resources so their students can learn remotely.
Before the pandemic, this was a rarity. Students had to go to a physical library in order to acquire books and resources. However, in the post covid era, there has been a shift in these systems. Curriculums, courses, resources and even libraries have been moved online so students can continue to study despite the lockdown and restriction of movement.
Post covid19, adapting to the new normal in education will cause the Nigerian educational system to be a lot more centred on the students. There will be increased student-teacher discussions, thanks to video calls and the use of social media.
Students will no longer just lounge in the back seat of lecture halls and pay passive attention to the teacher. Due to the integration of technology, the tutor had to be more focused on the student and ensure that each student is actively learning.
This new normal in education also gave students more options in their learning methods. They can decide to learn via video lessons or via educational apps or text on social media. They could choose whichever option appealed to them thus putting the focus on the students.
Another way schools in Nigeria are adapting to the new normal in education is through the use of innovative teaching. Unlike the usual traditional methods, teachers are now burdened with the need to ensure their students are actively learning and not distracted.
They also have to ensure that each student understood what was being taught irrespective of the distance. This led to increased variety and the introduction of creativity into lessons. Nigerian tutors have to integrate creativity into classes to ensure students remain attentive.
They discovered each student had a different learning style and his or her peculiar difficulties, and they have to be innovative to teach each student differently.
Despite the difficulties that came with the new normal in education, it has also brought along with it easier teaching and learning methods. Teachers find it easier to examine and access their students through the use of digital technology.
Students have easier access to books and courses and can begin study from the comfort of their homes. Teachers can easily grade their students online without the necessity of piling folders high on their desk, or records that they used in the typical offline methods of the past.
Social media such as Whatsapp has made it easier for teachers to connect with their students. Learners don’t necessarily have to wait till the next school day to ask questions concerning a particular topic. Teachers could meet the needs of their students during the lockdown and this will likely be a trend in the post covid era of the coronavirus.
Teachers will use such methods to interact and teach learners even during the holidays. Shy learners on the other hand can easily ask questions without the worries of standing up and drawing attention to themselves. This has increased the ease of learning and students’ comprehension.
During the heat of the pandemic in Nigeria, in a bid to adapt to the new normal in education. Some Nigerian schools took advantage of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to teach their students remotely. Several schools also introduced online certificate programmes.
These programs would help students go through their education, enjoy classes and bag a certificate without any form of onsite presence or physical meetings.
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The outbreak of the coronavirus made it imperative for new methods of teaching and learning to be introduced. In order to adapt to the new normal in education, Nigerian schools have had to introduce online education and activities to help them in adapting to the new normal.
This has led to the development of online courses, flexible, innovative and creative learning, and a more student-centred environment was developed. These features will continue to remain a part of Nigeria’s educational system in the post covid era.