An educationist, Associate Professor Gbenga Abimbola, has called for a shift from certificate-driven education to a system that equips students with practical skills, good character and the knowledge required to navigate life beyond the classroom.
Abimbola made the call while speaking on the education segment of Orange FM’s News and Current Affairs programme, The Roundtable, where he stressed the need to prepare pupils for life beyond academic qualifications.
He noted that education should not be limited to obtaining certificates, emphasising that literacy and education are not the same.
According to him, the goal of education should extend beyond earning certificates to developing the three domains of learning: cognitive, affective and psychomotor.
He expressed concern that educational opportunities in Nigeria were increasingly focused on policies and certificates rather than the acquisition of practical skills, a trend he said could affect students’ future prospects.
The university don also observed that some parents concentrate mainly on their children’s cognitive development, urging them to pay equal attention to the affective and psychomotor domains to promote balanced learning.
He further stressed that secondary school graduates should possess practical skills and sound character in addition to their academic certificates to improve their readiness for life and the world of work.
Abimbola called on the Federal Government and the Ministry of Education to review existing curricula and policies to make them more practical, relevant and learner-centred.
Orange FM reports that the educationist believes a holistic approach to learning is essential to preparing Nigerian pupils for life beyond the classroom.
