Science academies should influence education in Africa
Science academies should influence education in Africa
African science academies largely provide evidence-based scientific advice for policymaking, but need to influence educational systems to produce science and entrepreneurship-oriented graduates, a conference has heard.
The regional conference on balanced and inclusive education (BIE) aimed to offer suggestions for addressing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which encourages inclusive and quality education.
The meeting, which was hosted in Lagos on 25-26 July by the Nigerian Academy of Science in collaboration with Switzerland-based nongovernmental organisation Education Relief Foundation, was attended by 30 senior decision-makers in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe.
According to the conference, science academies are the highest scientific institutions of a given country, and using them to influence educators to promote indigenous knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurship in training students could aid sustainable development.
“African graduates may have excellent degrees in theory but they lack the practical, innovation [skills] and ability to think outside the box.”
Kalu Mosto Onuoha
According to Kalu Mosto Onuoha, the president of the NAS, it is unfortunate that African countries are not doing well in BIE. He noted that the continent needs to impart innovation and entrepreneurship to students.
“We don’t have enough hands-on training,” said Onuoha, a professor of geology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. “[African graduates] may have excellent degrees in theory but they lack the practical, innovation [skills] and ability to think outside the box. That is not inclusivity.”
He added that even when graduates with top grades are employed, their quality is often found wanting.
WRITTEN BY DH DH
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