Do you Understand? Yes! The Purpose of the School in Raising Students who can Question Things

The theme for the International day of education this year is “Changing Course and Transforming Education” How do we change course and transform education. It is by reimagining what education means and what it should be? I will be sharing what that means for me and what I have observed growing up as a child in the Nigerian Educational System.?

I think we have done great harm to our generation and previous generations and future generations to come by producing citizens who cannot question things.?

We were taught that education is the acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values in order to become a responsible citizen or member of society. What does it mean to be a responsible citizen, when people are trained not to question things.?

The school has always been a miniature of society. It has always been responsible for transferring behaviors, whether consciously or unconsciously (i.e., hidden curriculum). The unconscious is what Apple (2018) refers to as the Black Box and in a way could be argued to be the reason why Nigeria is going through what it is. Could we say the school has failed in its responsibilities? Maybe or Partially yes!?

The education we received made us see whatever content that we receive as the right answer and whenever you go against the norm, you fail. What happens to questioning things or reasonings? It is quite unfortunate when you raise your hands to ask why in many cases you will be ostracized, punished, or castigated. So the school incentivizes accepting the norm. Following whatever you are being told, whether it is right or wrong.?

It is so unfortunate to see teachers mark you down because you did not give a definition the way it should. So we were taught that was “Government” and we accepted. We were taught this is “Democracy” and we nodded yes. We accepted it. The teacher does the mathematical calculation and we accept that is the right way. He or she can never go wrong and at the end of the class, he asks, do you have any questions? No! Do you understand? Yes! We say yes even if we do not understand. We say no, even if we have questions and are struggling. We are gripped with fear knowing that if we have alternative opinions, we will be punished or no one wants to hear.

While I understand not all teachers behave this way, they push students to ask questions but some have seen themselves as Alpha and Omega. Warlords of the classroom. Students see them as lions. You can’t dare challenge them because they hold the keys to the scores. Students then learn that it is only through a prism that we can see things. They carry this onto the workplace. Some were lucky, they were able to unlearn through alternative education, mentoring, self-reflection, and awareness. Others go on to be “Yes” people.?

I believe the school can do better in changing this by encouraging students to share, reward, and appreciate perspectives. Encouraging critical thinking, encouraging students to ask questions. When we raise students who can question things and ask why; Maybe we would raise citizens who can courageously hold the government accountable, challenge the status quo and not accept the norm. And maybe we will also be able to raise leaders, who can listen to other perspectives, reflect on them without having to react.?

The school reproduces what happens in society and one of its major roles is to prepare students for what they will become in society.?

Hammed Kayode Alabi ? 2022

Reference

Apple, M. W. (2018). Ideology and curriculum. Routledge.