PORT HARCOURT – National President of a non-governmental group, the Literacy Promotion Association of Nigeria (LiPAN), Professor Solomon Makinde says that literacy remains driving force for national development, integration and sustainability.
Addressing participants at the 19th Biennial Conference and Workshop organised for teachers by the group with the theme: “Literacy For Sustainable Development”, Makinde maintained that over the years, the deliberations surrounding the appropriate language for instruction, methodology of teaching and the timing of language education has been a recurring topics in the National Policy on Education(NPE).
Makinde, maintained that this highlights the integration of language within successive revisions of the NPE.
He stressed that a shift in approach has recently emerged following the introduction of the National Language Policy, which, he said, prioritises the use of mother tongue, as the medium of instructions in early child care and development education.
According to him, “The aim of this policy is to enhance children’s cognitive development, language acquisition, and overall knowledge. Notable evidence supporting this approach can be seen in Ife six-year-project and the Rivers readers project. Despite the avalanche of promise of this provision, its implementation has faced significant setbacks in schools, threatening the intellectual growth of Nigerian children and their effective participation in society.
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“This study explores ways to optimise the provisions of this policy to ensure the sustainability of pre-primary education”, he said.
Prof. Solomon Makinde further said that research has demonstrated that proficiency in one’s mother tongue facilitates learning and fosters greater engagement from both the community and family in the educational process.
He said that as children learn in their native language, they develop more robust cognitive skills, particularly in critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, adding that while also gaining a deeper awareness of their societal context.
The LiPAN boss, however, disclosed that to enhance the policy’s effectiveness, such study underscores the importance of consistent monitoring as a key mechanism for its optimization within schools.
” Tools such as the IDELA package and UBEC lesson observation were employed to assess this optimization.
The finding, he said, conclude strict adherence to the policy will better prepare children for primary education.
Meanwhile, Prof. Solomon Makinde, has urged government at all levels to help the group in the promotion of literacy which in turn, will reduce the rate of illiteracy in the country.
