OOU-EDM 209 Note - Meaning of Basic Concepts PDF

MEANING OF BASIC CONCEPTS Education A number of scholars and educators have given the meaning of the concept ‘Education.’ Farrant (1976) sees Education as “the process of learning to live as a useful and acceptable member of the community.” Obanya, Adejumo, Oko...

MEANING OF BASIC CONCEPTS Education A number of scholars and educators have given the meaning of the concept ‘Education.’ Farrant (1976) sees Education as “the process of learning to live as a useful and acceptable member of the community.” Obanya, Adejumo, Okoye & Ezewu (1985) are of the opinion that “Education [is] a natural activity. It is a process of continuous all-round development of the individual for life in society.” According to Adesemowo (2005), “Education provides the means of propagating culture and spreading knowledge.” Fafunwa (1991), takes Education to be “the aggregate of all the processes by which a child or young adult develops the abilities, attitudes and other forms of behaviour which are of positive value to the society in which he lives. It is a process for transmitting culture in terms of continuity and growth and for disseminating knowledge either to ensure social control or to guarantee rational direction of the society or both.” Bamisaye (1989) defines Education as “a cumulative process of development of intellectual abilities, skills and attitudes, all of which form our various outlooks and disposition.” According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (1975), education comprises organized and sustained communication designed to bring about learning. Education is about imparting and acquisition of knowledge, skills, habits and the powers of sound reasoning and judgment. It is achieved through teaching, training and personal observation and/or experience. In order to make a meaning, Education acquired by one generation is passed on to the other. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines three types of learning: formal learning; non-formal learning; and informal learning. Formal education is that which is delivered by trained teachers in a systematic intentional way within a school or institution of higher learning. It is teacher-centered learning via knowledge acquisition. There is a formal curriculum and learning outcomes. Non-formal learning includes various structured learning situations which do not either have the level of curriculum, syllabus, accreditation and certification associated with ‘formal learning.’ Examples of non-formal learning include sports programmes and programmes developed by organizations such as the Boy Scouts, the Girl Guides, community or non-credit adult education courses, sports or fitness programmes. The learner’s objectives may be to increase skills and knowledge, as well as to experience the emotional rewards associated with increased love for a subject or increased passion for learning.  2 Informal education is any learning which typically takes place naturally and spontaneously as part of other activities. Informal learning has no set objective in terms of learning outcomes and is never intentional from the learner’s standpoint. Informal learning includes socialization, enculturation, and play. Informal learning is a pervasive ongoing phenomenon of learning via participation or learning via knowledge creation. It is common in communities where individuals have opportunities to observe and participate in social activities. Informal learning typically takes place naturally as part of some other activity(ies). Educational policy Policy can be defined a s a course of action or a principle or guidelines. It is a statement of intent and generally proposed and adopted by the governing body of an organization. The guidelines are put in place essentially to guide decisions and accomplish good result. Educational policy is made up of principles and policy decisions that influence the field of education. The policies are courses of action, guidelines, principles of action, or initiatives that are meant to give the system a proper direction. It is also about the collection of laws and regulations that govern the operation of the education system. Education law and education policy are not exactly the same. Education law is a compendium of all the rules and regulations endorsed by the state essentially to make provision for education and for purposes connected thereto. According to Ajayi, it refers to the “rules and regulations enacted by the government... and enforceable through judicial processes to guide a country’s educational development.” It consists of legal provisions empowering appropriate authorities to implement certain educational policies. Education law makes it possible to establish, operate, structure and regulate the education system. The ultimate goal is to ensure the growth and development of the education system. The common features of Education law include: the functions of the Minister of Education, the responsibilities of the Commissioner for Education, Ministry of Education, administration of education, and the statutory system of public education. Other aspects of Education law are: the establishment of parastatals and agencies, the composition of the members of their governing boards, their powers and the functions of the parastatals and agencies. These parastatals and agencies include: State Universal Basic Education Board, Teaching Service Commission, State Agency for Mass Education, State Nomadic Education Unit, State Library Board, and Local Government Education Authority.  3 The rest of the features of Education Law are: establishment and closure of schools, inspection of schools, teachers, regulations governing pupils’ personnel management, financial provisions, religion, race, and language in the institutions of learning; curriculum, records, and reports to be kept, and other ancillary matters. Like any other Law validly made by the National Assembly and the State house of Assembly, Education Law is an integral part of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and the Laws of State, respectively. Various concepts are used when referring to the formal enactments relating to the education industry. These are: Education Ordinance, Education Proclamation, Education Code, Education Act, Education Law, Education Decree, and Education Edict. Basically, they are all the same. They are all Statutes by the government which are geared towards directing the growth and expansion of the education system; enhancing the cohesion of the different strata of education in such a way that they will function as a system; and effecting the harmonization of the numerous educational endeavours of the various tiers of government in the country. What makes the difference, though, is with respect to the government at the corridor of power at the particular time of enactment as well as the jurisdiction of operation of the legal authority. During the British Rule, the colonial masters formulated Education Ordinances, Educational Proclamations, and Education Codes. In the era of Representative Government in the 1950’s, each region was given the autonomy to make Laws on a number of matters, one of which was Education. At this period, the variety of sets of rules, relating to the education industry were formulated and enacted as Education Law, by the people’s representatives, in the different Houses. Throughout the era of military regime, the guidelines, in connection with Education, were promulgated as Education Decrees and education Edicts. The federal government made Education Decrees. Understandably, their dictates were applicable to the whole country. On the other hand, Education Edicts wee proclaimed by the state government and their provisions were relevant only to the respective states. As at present, civil rule is in operation. The different regulations on Education are made by the federal and state governments. They are enacted as Education Act and Education Law, respectively. Education policy, it must be pointed out, does not have the status of Law and should not disagree with Law. Rather, it is supposed to expound Law and indeed be complementary to it.  4 Education in Nigeria is offered at different levels. These include: elementary, secondary, post-secondary and higher education levels. Each level has its goals. The goals, in turn, influence the educational policy for the level. Education policy gives answers to questions like the purpose of education, the objectives the society desires to attain, as well as the appropriate methods of pursuing the objectives. Educational policy can only be adjudged to be good if it enjoys the political will of the government and by extension, good implementation by the relevant authorities, and does not surfer from inadequate funding, inadequate physical resources and inadequate human resources. Educational Policy Reform Educational policy reform refers to the systematic changes and important decisions made by the government essentially to improve the quality of education. The reform is carried out basically to correct a number of challenges and issues facing the educational system. Educational policy reform addresses issues such as: poor enrolment and attendance of learners in institutions of learning, poor teaching and learning methods, and poor and inadequate distribution of educational resources. Educational policy reform equally touches on issues such as curriculum, teacher quality and quantity, and funding of the educational system. The reform is usually initiated through national conference on curriculum development, inputs from government, educators, educational planners and administrators, parents, students and other interested stakeholders; as well as research and data on best practices in education. However, no matter how good the initiation of new policies on education is, such changes will be meaningful only when there is actual implementation of the policy changes so as to bring improvement in the educational system. Educational policy reform is a complex process. This is due to the fact that it requires the cooperation of all and sundry for the reform to be successfully implemented. There should be the political will on the part of the government to make available adequate educational resources, such that whatever new innovation is proposed, it will be possible to accomplish the set goal for the proposal. The observation and comments of the 2024 Startup Development House sp z o.o, reproduced below, are very instructive: Effective educational policy and reform can have a profound impact on the lives of students and society as a whole. By improving the quality of education, addressing inequities, and preparing students for success in the 21st century, these efforts can help to build a more educated and skilled workforce, reduce poverty and inequality, and promote social and economic development. However, educational policy and reform are not without challenges and  5 controversies. Different stakeholders may have conflicting interests and priorities, and the implementation of new policies may face resistance from those who are comfortable with the status quo. Additionally, the outcomes of educational reform may not always be immediately apparent, as changes in education often take time to produce measurable results. Overall, educational policy and reform are essential components of a thriving and equitable education system. By continuously evaluating and improving policies, addressing the needs of diverse learners, and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, we can ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education that prepares them for success in the modern world.