Former vice chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Prof. Nahzeem Olufemi-Mimiko, asserted that teaching in local languages remains a key solution to boost Nigeria’s growth and development. Mimiko spoke at the 8th Federal University Lokoja (FUL) Convocation Lecture, which was held at the Felele Campus in Lokoja and covered the topic of “Reimaging Nigeria’s (University) Education For Wholesome National Development.” He was upended by the country’s current educational system, which uses foreign languages instead of the native tongues. He noted that achieving the intended level of progress to catch up with other industrialized countries would be a pipe dream unless the Nigerian government changed the country’s educational system’s narrative.
Mimiko pointed out developed countries that teach in their native tongues, such as China, India, and Japan, among others, and noted that this has had a major impact on the growth of their economy. There is sufficient research to support the idea that learning is best taught in the local language at the elementary school level. According to him, enacting national policy and providing teachers and instructors with this degree of training on the use of the local language are what are required to catapult Nigeria to an unparalleled level of development. He claimed that by doing this, Nigerian children would be given more respect for post-basic education.
Native language teaching may close comprehension gaps.
He claims that the cultural importance is that such a strategy will also assist in protecting many of our traditional languages from cultural aridity and conserving and preserving them. Mimiko expressed concern that 70% of Nigerians are factually illiterate, in addition to having over 20 million out-of-school youngsters that wander the streets. He cautioned that, if left unchecked, this is a national catastrophe waiting to happen. Thus, he encouraged the federal government to create an intervention program that would educate children on the street to be beneficial to both the country and themselves.
The potential of teaching in local languages has become widely acknowledged as Nigeria looks to develop its Economy and enhance educational results. Experts noted that this method, which has been successfully implemented in many other countries, might provide Nigeria with a chance to create an Educational System that is more effective, inclusive, and culturally rich. Teaching in native tongues has several benefits, from enhanced learning results to greater social cohesiveness and cultural preservation. Such an approach could help close comprehension gaps caused by children being taught in English, which is frequently not their first language, in a nation as linguistically diverse as Nigeria.
Nigeria stands to gain from such an educational system.
Early mother language learning has been linked to improved cognitive performance in young children, based on research. According to a study conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), pupils who start their education in a language they are acquainted with are more likely to acquire reading skills more quickly. Linguists and education experts highlighted that Nigeria may gain a lot from introducing indigenous language teaching. Renowned Nigerian linguist Professor Ayo Banjo has also argued that teaching in local languages will enhance learning results and strengthen native systems of knowledge that could aid in rural development.
In promoting mother-tongue education globally, UNESCO emphasized that local language teaching has proven to be a vital component of inclusive, high-quality education. This is especially important in multilingual nations like Nigeria, where it is essential for attaining Sustainable Development goals. Local language teaching has been adopted in a number of nations, with notable social and economic advantages. Finland, South Korea, and Ethiopia are noteworthy instances that show how well native language integration works in educational systems. Nigeria may find success with a phased approach if it learns from these nations’ experiences.
Related Article: Local language model launched by FG for AI dev.
However, the implementation of such a system in Nigeria would be fraught with difficulties and necessitate a substantial Investment of resources, including the creation of instructional materials, Teacher training, and linguistic Curriculum standardization. Considering the fact that Nigeria’s trade, access to global knowledge, and international connections all still depend on English, a bilingual education system that teaches pupils in both local languages and English may be more feasible in order to balance cultural relevance with global connectedness. The effectiveness of teaching in local languages would rely on careful planning and blending with other significant educational and Infrastructure advancements.