Dear His Excellency,
I am writing to express my deep concern and strongest support for the planned declaration of the State of Emergency on Education in Kano. Education in the state is plagued by numerous challenges that require immediate and decisive action.
Your declaration of the state of emergency in education should prioritize and revitalize the use of mother tongue, among other things, in the lower Basic Schools especially in sciences and technology.
Problems facing education in the state are well-documented: dilapidated infrastructure, inadequate teaching materials, teacher shortages, non-understanding of the real scientific and technological concepts from our lower Basic pupils which is believed to have originated from lack of using mother tongue as a medium of instructions give birth to a poor quality of products. This results in detrimental impact on the future of our youth, hindering their ability to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to the society.
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Your Excellency, the declaration would no doubt demonstrate this administration’s commitment to tackling the aforementioned issues. It would create a platform for increased public awareness, resource allocation, and collaboration with stakeholders, including educators, parents, non-governmental organizations and community leaders to revolutionized the sector.
The following are some specific actions from my perspective that could be taken under a state of emergency. These include, increased budgetary allocation despite going above the UN set threshold of 26%, infrastructure upgrade, teacher recruitment and development, curriculum review along with the community engagement and involving the community in the decision making in all schools of the state.
By taking these bold steps, Your Excellency, you can send a powerful message that education is a top priority for your administration. This will inspire hope and create a sense of urgency for positive change.
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The future of Kano State rests on the shoulders of its educated youth. A strong educational system is the cornerstone of progress and development. I hope the said proposed plan would act swiftly and decisively by declaring a state of emergency in education for the 21st century Educational and technological development.
MOTHER TONGUE
According to the former minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu, as carried in The Sun, of 6th December, 2022 “Nigeria now has National Language Policy in which Primary Schools instruction for the first six years of learning would be in the mother tongue”. This is in line with global best practices as most countries use mother tongue for teaching in lower level. Some of these countries include Malaysia, China, Russia, India, Japan, Germany to mention but a few. English is just a language like any other language in the world.
A strong foundation in scientific principles is essential for students to thrive in this 21st century. It equips them with critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to understand the world around them.
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This can be enhanced using mother tongue as medium of instructions. Research suggests that utilizing a student’s mother tongue in early science and technology education can significantly enhance learning outcomes. This approach allows students to grasp complex scientific concepts more readily by building upon their existing knowledge base and fostering a deeper understanding.
A CALL TO ACTION
- Declare a State of Emergency in Science Education: This bold step would signal the critical importance of improving science and technology education in Kano State.
- Investigate and Pilot Mother Tongue Instruction: Conduct research and pilot programs to explore the effectiveness of utilizing mother tongue instruction in teaching science and technology at the primary and post primary levels.
- Invest in Teacher Training: Provide teachers with the necessary training and resources to effectively implement mother tongue instruction in science and technology
- Production of material Resources: Text Books, journals, Manual Teacher guide, charts etc should be available.
- Policy development: a policy with periodic update should be developed and implemented
- Relevant Stakeholders: at present Bayero University, Kano as a good Example
PRAYERS
Your Excellency Sir, my only prayer is to fulfill your dream by actualizing a proposed plan for the State of emergency in Education sector in Kano state that will yield up a desired and fruitful results by collaboration with Bayero University, Kano in making Mother tongue as an instructional medium in teaching science and Technology in our primary and post primary schools.
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For years, the University already published science and technology Books for primary and post primary students which includes:
- Basic Science and Technology for primary Schools
- Mathematics for junior Secondary Schools
- Physics for Senior Secondary Schools
- Chemistry for Senior Secondary Schools
All the above listed books are in mother tongue (Hausa) in line with the guidelines from the Nine-Year Basic Schools Curriculum along with the certification from National Educational Research Development Council (NERDC).
Sir, by prioritizing science education and embracing innovative teaching methods like mother tongue instruction, we can empower the next generation of Kano students to become critical thinkers, innovators, and future leaders that can compete with others in developed countries at the same time History of this great educational revolution would never complete without your Name as pioneer.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
