‘Why govt should embrace science and technology, revise school curriculum’

The Federal Government has been urged to seriously embrace science and technology as a major instrument of development and also to revise the present school curriculum at all levels to ensure the country turns out employable graduates.

Chairman of MTN Nigeria Limited, Mr. Pascal Gabriel Dozie and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Airtel Network Limited, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, made the call separately at the 21st Annual Lecture, Award of Honours and Postgraduates Scholarships of the Stephen Oluwole Awokoya Foundation titled “Science Education in Nigeria: The Story so Far.”

While speaking at the event, Dozie reminded participants of the statement credited to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu who lamented the country chequered history in the promotion of science and technology education.

Dozie pointed out that it is important for the Ministries of Education and that of Science and Technology to work together while noting that Nigerians don’t want the experience of the power sector repeated where power generation plants could not function because of lack of gas supply. He averred that it is by embracing science and technology that Nigeria could leapfrog missed opportunities in efforts to develop.

In the same vein, Ogunsanya who was the guest of honour canvassed the promotion of science education in Nigeria and enjoined the Federal Government to step up its present drive to promote science education.

Airtel- image source, itnewsafrica

Ogunsanya observed that science and technology impacts every area of life and every sector, including business and commerce, healthcare services, education, government, banking, telecommunications, agriculture, entertainment among others. Making reference to the telecommunications sector, he noted that before the advent of Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Nigeria had less than half a million telephone lines and subscribers had to wait for up to six months before they get connected.

“But with the advent of GSM, made possible by science and technology, it only takes just a few minutes to get a mobile number connected today. This is what technology does; it liberates people. Currently, there are over 140 million connected mobile lines in Nigeria. And for every 10 per cent increase in connectivity, there is 1.3 per cent impact on Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” he said.

Participants at the event also appealed to the government to consider reviewing school curriculum so that Nigeria could turn out graduates that are considered suitable for employment anywhere in the world.

At the event, the guest lecturer, Prof. Uduogie Ivowi, who delivered a lectured titled “Science Education in Nigeria: The Story so Far,” traced the history and development of school curriculum in Nigeria and detailed various changes it underwent over the years.