The Five Outputs of Contemporary Education: Tangible Mantra for Tahir Mamman-led Education Ministry

 

Figure 1: The five outputs of contemporary education - culled from Dr. Adetolu Ademujimi’s conceptual framework archived at Sartorius Resources

While declaring open the 25^th quarterly meeting of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Management with the Executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, was quoted by Daily Trust newsprint on 25^th October, 2023 as having lamented that “the investment so far in education (by the Federal government) is extremely commendable but the output is not commensurate; not matching the input”. This treatise is thus dedicated to meditating on the outputs expected of contemporary education to help the new leadership at the Federal Ministry of Education understand and better address this concern. That a lawyer-cum-teacher, one dressed in the reputable garbs of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a professor, leads the responsibility of reforming and illuminating Nigeria’s ‘ignorant’ education system is heart-warming. My enthusiasm is that as a learned silk, Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN, the Honourable Minister of Education, is likely to clearly understand this urgent advocacy for the Five outputs of education to be at the heart of the Education Ministry’s reform under his watch. That he is supported by Dr. Tanko Yusuf Sununu, a medical doctor, in fact, an Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, makes it even more convincing. Like my humble self, medical doctors are trained in the art of diagnosis.

Similarly, during a two-fold ceremony hosted by a retired Director of Water Supply & Public-Private partnership, Engr. Benson Ajisegiri, Ph.D, in our shared hometown of Idanre, Ondo State on Thursday, 21^st September, 2023 to present his autobiography titled “Public Service by Grace” in commemoration of his retirement from the Federal Civil service, echoes of Nigeria’s comatose education system rented the air. Albeit he had earlier retired on 24^th August, 2021 from the Federal Civil Service, the philanthropic gene of this large-hearted and education-loving Nigerian had given his spirit several restless moments until “Uncle Ben”, as I usually refer to him, launched Engr. Benson Ajisegiri Foundation (EBAF) as the second part of the remarkable event to support the education of students of Idanre origin based on certain pre-defined eligibility criteria. Commendably, speakers at the event had taken turns to state the inestimable potential of an educated mind while also chiding the Federal, State & Local governments for abdicating their respective ‘funding’ responsibilities to Nigeria’s education system for the benefit of every Nigerian and the society at large. As I linked up with the live-streamed event on social media and sieved the encomiums on Engr. Ajisegiri from the opprobrium on government’s shoddy financing of schools, I deciphered the need to join the public discourse, via this article, with a focus on the unsaid part. Like most conversations on the subject at hand, more focus is on the challenge of poor funding that is believed to trigger incessant industrial actions among lecturers, preposterous infrastructure lacuna within public academic institutions, poor ratings of these schools and their graduate-products and so forth. Unfortunately, little attention is given to the quality of the content and philosophical underpinning of Nigeria’s educational institutions that the scarce financial resources, were it to be in surplus, intend to infuse as inputs to birth qualitative outputs.

Whereas, the Japanese automobile manufacturer, Toyota’s mantra conveyed in its adverts during the 90s had the instructive tag line “good thinking, good product”, which enlightens a discerning world on the imperative of deep thoughts. If we can be intentional about thinking deeply and at length, regarding the focus of education in contemporary times, the lyrics of that timeless Yoruba folk song “Bata re a dun ko ko ka, bi o ba kawe re” (translated as you shall wear expensive shoes if you study hard) will not elicit a fixed understanding that stands aloof from today’s reality. It takes a contemplating mind to understand that education isn’t merely as symbolized by its dictionary meaning – “the process of receiving or giving systematic instructions, especially at a school or university”; “the theory and practice of teaching”; “a body of knowledge acquired while being educated”. Modern-day challenges confronting humanity have eroded the ancient Nigerian perception that education is nothing more than learning to read, write and earn degrees to secure a decent-paying job. In fact, it takes an educated mind to know that the meaning of education is as rapidly evolving as its essential application in resolving complex and dynamic challenges of humans. Else, education would remain an inconspicuous routine, just as Nigeria’s retrogressive narrative portrays it.

Because education is a progressive and refining tool, it is important to situate the usefulness of this superbly potent and evergreen societal instrument by reiterating its five outputs expected to be prioritized and clustered in that so-called ‘educated fellow’ in this current era of global human capital development. After due contemplation, it is humbly recommended that Prof. Tahir Mamman and the management team of Federal Ministry of Education explore all political and bureaucratic means to ensure that Nigeria’s new educational policy framework and philosophy epitomize the development of every Nigerian child, through education, to embody five core deliverables - to be able to read, write, hone relevant technical skills, embody 21^st century soft skills and personify appropriate character that depicts an ethical Nigerian. Whether as a Universal Basic Education (UBEC) certificate holder, Secondary School Leaving certificate holder, Polytechnic, or university graduate, it would be to the society’s immense benefit to have the curricula of our academic institutions revised to focus not only on the ‘usual’ first three (reading, writing & technical proficiencies) but equally on the other two (soft skills & character).

1. Reading skills – Whether in Mandarin (literary and official form of Chinese), Hausa, Swahili or any other language among the global community, the ability to ‘read’ in the ‘official’ language of a nation is one deliverable of education. This period of globalization - rising interconnectedness and interdependence of global cultures and economies to trade goods and services - has made this language-specific literacy know-how a compulsory skill. Let’s be reminded that not knowing how to read in English doesn’t qualify a person as ‘illiterate’ if he/she can do so in German, Dutch or any other lingua franca (also called the “bridge language or trade language systematically used to make communication possible between groups of people who do not share a native language or dialect”). However, since Nigeria’s lingua franca is English, all academic institutions (public and private) at every level (UBEC, Senior Secondary, graduate schools, post-graduate) of education in Nigeria should be designed and effectively monitored to ensure that ‘basic’ English-reading skills are prioritized.

2. Writing skills – Again, formal education empowers its recipients with the ability to communicate through writing – a necessary literacy skill for everyday living. Using our lingua franca and under the UBEC mandate, the bulk of Nigerians within the age bracket of 5 – 18 years should be able to correctly spell common words and construct basic sentences ‘on paper’. Physical papers such as transaction invoices & receipts, wall adverts & notices etc. that are used by employees of Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) should bear appropriately written words & sentences in simple English tenses. Similarly, electronic platforms such as telephone messages, social media handles, electronic mails etc. that are daily used by majority of Nigerians ought not to be seen as ‘slaughterhouses’ of our official language (English) if writing skills have been effectively incorporated in ‘educated’ Nigerians.

3. Hard skills – These are tangible and field-specific expertise that are taught in the formal classroom within the regular courses of study in higher institutions of learning. School graduates of Architecture, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Accounting, Engineering etc. are imbued with these types of proficiencies relevant for respective fields and/or sector of training. Although there is a higher emphasis on hard skills than soft skills and character, another weakness observed in this output in Nigeria is that the technical depth of graduates is fading. Outdated knowledge and lack of hands-on skills are some noticeable lows in our academic products. An Engineering student graduates with a first class but has far less technical capacity in the handling of machines than a road-side mechanic. That wide disparity between the theoretical details and practical aptitude is unacceptable.

4. Soft skills – These are intangible and cross-cutting skills that are rarely taught in the conventional classroom setting but cannot be dispensed with by individuals for effective productivity in personal, professional, and public spaces. They are necessary complements to hard skills and are arguably the most desired of the five in the new world of job-hunting, organizational management, entrepreneurial attainment, and societal development. Man is a social animal who cannot but interact, particularly in teams, for a common goal with current or intending teammates. Introvert or extrovert, today’s work climes, trade areas (public and private sector) and communities demand strong interpersonal skills among colleagues, between employees and customers, and within neighbours. Again, one may have a Ph.D. and several Master’s degrees but lack competence in problem-spotting, problem-solving, opportunity-generation, critical thinking (objective analysis of issues to make clear judgements), creative thinking (new ideas/ways of doing things), public speaking, negotiation, basic ICT skills, time management, curriculum vitae (CV)/resume writing, job interview preparations etc. For example, critical thinking was what the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, Nigeria’s former Senate President, referred to when he noted that “If you are emotionally attached to your tribe, religion or political leaning to the point that truth and justice become secondary considerations, your education is useless. Your exposure is useless. If you cannot reason beyond petty sentiments, you are a liability to mankind”. Also, without seeing you, a resume communicates your profile to your intending employer. Therefore, imagine these shortfalls - a brilliant lawyer without self-confidence and expressive tendencies in the courtroom; a cerebral medical doctor working in the public health space without basic ICT skills (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint); and a first-class graduate of Accountancy in this contemporary age applying for jobs with a poorly written professional CV/resume that also bears irrelevant information such as date of birth, marital status, number of children, religion, hobby etc.

Soft skills can be taught at training sessions, workshops, coaching and mentoring classes but like hard skills, they require intentional practice to make habitual and near perfection.

5. Character – Ethical standards required in daily business dealings, organizational culture and all other facets of career advancement constitute the character of a person. The Nigerian society appears to elevate bad character (dishonesty, hooliganism, etc.) than good ones and our political arena is a case study. Character is not a subject to be taught in schools but a nature to be lived in the society. It is better inculcated through “do as I do, not as I say”. In my book titled Education without Character (an adaptation of one of Mahatma Gandhi’s 7 deadly public sins, which I published in 2013), I had written that “Education without Character is like a head without a brain” because to pass with high grades but be failing in character produces at best, “evil geniuses”. Unfortunately, an evil genius is likely to use his top-notch knowledge and skills to short-change the society in his/her field of mastery. For example, without strong values, a medical doctor may accept the enticing offer of being the undercover caregiver for a group of dreaded bandits who pay him/her a monthly earning that is five times what the government remunerates his/her colleagues. A character-less Accountant, particularly a very brilliant one at that, will continue to cook the books and even do so nearly full-proof. Educated Nigerians (with their Ph.Ds and similar highly rated professional accomplishments) who are without befitting character will have no regard to obey traffic lights, as simple as that is.  Therefore, the Federal Ministry of Education should encourage institutions of learning to extend their award-giving ceremonies from exceptional feat in academics to excellent acts of character such as the most punctual to lecture rooms, a badge of honour for students who returned lost-but-found valuable items, the most diligent/organized course representative etc. Above all, the Nigerian society, through appropriate authorities, should hurriedly deepen an unbiased carrot-and-stick system that rewards integrity and reprimands dishonesty.

As I try to bring this article to a close, if the Federal Ministry of Education begins this revolutionary philosophy in earnest, any product of our education from year 2027 that is not in substantial compliance with any of the above five educational outputs stands the risk of being regarded as uneducated in today’s Nigeria. Furthermore, it might be essential to ponder a little over the number and quality of four groups of people expected to support Prof. Tahir Mamman and Dr. Yusuf Sununu in this paradigm shift - policy makers, school administrators, teachers, and parents.  Do these four important vessels in this new Nigerian age still recognize, prioritize, and exhibit these five outputs of education that they are expected to instill in students and their wards? Can they give what they don’t have? Perhaps mass enlightenment to communicate the imperative of these five educational outputs to the four responsible persons should precede this new mantra.

Having touched on these crucial and contemporary elements, I join others to urge our dear Prof Tahir Mamman and Dr Yusuf Sununu to kindly note our desire for a new policy direction prioritizing the five above-stated outputs of educational pursuits among Nigerians. The fixation on erection of more school buildings, award of licenses for the establishment of more public & private universities and prevention of perennial ASUU strikes is very limiting (as important as they are) and insufficient in addressing the current educational needs & supply mechanisms around the world. I also encourage the newly inaugurated Engr, Benson Ajisegiri Foundation (EBAF) and others in its ilk across Nigeria to consider going beyond provision of conventional formal education scholarships to deserving students by organizing routine human capital development programmes (trainings, workshops, coaching & mentoring sessions) for undergraduates and graduates, with focus on the two largely neglected deliverables of education in Nigeria – soft skills and character learning.

Dr. Adetolu Ademujimi is a Medical Doctor, Health Finance Specialist, Author, Reformer, Coach, Public Policy expert and Social entrepreneur who can be reached in Abuja via adetoluademujimi@gmail.com