National Telescope national telescope newspaper
Olatunde Oluwasola|
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and Nigeria Educatioal Research Development Council (NERDC) have disclosed plans to change the official learning language in basic schools from English to native language.
Both agencies of the government agreed that students will now learn in their language.
This decision was reached by the duo at a meeting focusing of improving the quality of education in Nigeria held in Abuja.
Speaking on the matter, the NERDC Executive secretary, Ismail Junaidu said kids from nursery to Primary 6 will be taught in their mother tongue or the language they use at home.
According to him, the decision is aimed at helping children learn better.
He added, “Arabic will be used in Islamic schools, but English will still be taught as a subject from nursery to Primary 6. In junior secondary, English will be the main language for teaching, but they encourage using both English and the local language.”
He further stated that NERDC is placing priority at promoting Nigerian and local languages in schools to save languages from extinction.
He disclosed that the new language innovation would witness the creation of curriculum for over 60 languages.
On his part, the UBEC Executive Secretary, Hamid Bobboyi, lamented the inability of most children in reading and solving mathematical problems. He added that, If the problem is not solved, the nation may not attain its goals on qualitative education.
He said, “Several interventions by the Federal Government, State Governments and International Development Partners have been made to address the endemic issue. However, in spite of the huge resources expended, the challenge remains.”
