THE ROLE OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NIGERIA IN THE DOTS POLICY
The recent uproar the alleged misinterpretation of the Honourable Minister of Education one-on-one chat on a national TV station, especially the aspect concerned with the eligibility age a candidate can sit for the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examination Council Senior Secondary Certificate is a distraction. It has been a misplaced priority driven by strong sense of patriotism and passion for education, especially when there are other developmental issues facing the sector. The Nigerian press who sets agenda for public discourse appears to be given undue attention with sensational captions, which proffer no better alternatives. A similar noise greeted the decision of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to make 18 the minimum age for admission into the University in Nigeria.
The slide in the general performance of the candidates at the 2024 WASSCE should have attracted the attention of all. The energy expended by stakeholders opposed to the policy, would have been used in advancing ideas that could make the DOTS policy works. The Data Repository, Out-of-School Children Education, Teacher’s Training and Skill development and acquisition (DOTS) approved by the President was announced on April 2, 2024. Also, argument for the reintroduction of Higher School Certificate (HSC) would have been more compelling. More so, with the HSC the time a student spent in the university will be one year short. Advocacy for better funding through better investment in the education sector will be welcome by all as it is one of the crucial indicators in Human Development Index.
One of the main thrust of the DOT policy is Data repository for the education sector, which will provide the snapshot through which development and policies’ impact could be tracked. The Ministry has taken the bull by the horn having realised the importance of data in decision making process aimed at determining appropriate intervention programmes. This informs the reasons many Nigerians were elated when the news broke that an all-encompassing policy developed by the Ministry of Education is due for launch. One of the banes of the educational policies is that strategies for monitoring and impact assessment are often overlooked at conception.
A structured assessment of the 6-3-3-4 system of education through baseline data would allow scientific association between age and academic performance on one hand and age the general development on the other hand. Some agencies of the Ministry are already implementing programmes such as the Out-of- School Children Education and Teachers Training with the view to building their capacity in the digital skills to facilitate use of technology in teaching and learning.
The National Library of Nigeria (NLN) has already taken steps to contribute to the effective delivery of the DOTS policy as numerous intervention programmes are being realigned to key into the DOTS’ objectives. Specifically, the Library’s Digital Literacy programme is already being restructured to target teachers and students, generate baseline data on access, availability of technology and infrastructural facilities for comparison with expected outcome in order to determine the impact of National Library of Nigeria’s contribution to the effective implementation of the DOTs policy.
A study is currently being undertaken by the NLN to evaluate a cost-effective method aimed at ramping up subscription to the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) by students and addressing the problem of digital divide to make access possible for all. The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is to be redesigned to make them responsive and reflective of the peculiar needs of the local communities across the country and provide opportunities for knowledge sharing and skill acquisition. The addition of Citizenship Education into the curriculum of the courses taught through MOOC will be another creative way to make people buy into government’ policies and effectively participate in the implementation. To walk the talk, the pilot scheme will involve 2 states across per geographical zones.
It is high time every Nigerian began to realise that he/she is a crucial stakeholder in the development of the education sector. Our elites are therefore, enjoined to follow the Late Prof. Olukoye Kuti example and many others who have donated library, books and other learning materials to their communities with the view to complementing government’s efforts. No doubts Nigerians love for education is second to none, which explains why they are always ready to explore every opportunity in search of knowledge. Despite the challenges, our graduates, especially in Medicine and Sciences are one of the most sought professionals across the world. In organizations such the America’s National Aeronautic and Space Administration Agency (NASA), which is responsible for space exploration, you will find Nigerians playing important roles in research. As Nigerians we cannot afford to rest on our oars, we must continue to strive for excellence in education. The National Library of Nigeria wants to challenge you, to go to a local library or school in your community to see what you can do to change the narrative as no good deed towards human capital development is too small.
Abdulazeez Mistura Kikelomo (Mrs.)
Deputy Director