Some Education stakeholders have called on schools, educators and governments to promote multilingual and indigenous education in order to foster mutual understanding and peace.
The stakeholders made the call in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday to celebrate the 2024 International Literacy Day.
NAN reports that International Literacy Day is celebrated annually on Sept. 8.
The 2024 edition had the theme: “Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace”.
Prof. Olugbenga Akindoju, Dean, Faculty of Education, Lagos State University (LASU), said that multilingual education was crucial at the moment in Nigeria.
Akindoju said that LASU’s multilingual education approach recognised the vast linguistic diversity of Nigeria.
According to him, hundreds of languages co-exist in the nation.
He said that the approach provided students with the tools to engage locally and globally.
“Schools can promote multilingual education by introducing indigenous languages into subjects.
“Alongside English, our curriculum should embrace indigenous languages to enhance cultural identity and communication.
“For example, teaching Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba helps students to appreciate their roots and improves cognitive skills,” he said.
Akindoju also urged that educators must be equipped with the skills to effectively teach in multiple languages.
“Training teachers in bilingual or multilingual pedagogy empowers them to integrate language diversity into the classroom.
“By implementing these strategies, we can build a more inclusive and peaceful society, where multilingualism is seen as a bridge to mutual understanding rather than a barrier,” he said.
Mr Simeon Fowowe, National President, Association of Nursery and Primary Education Instructors in Nigeria, said that multilingual education could increase academic achievements and reduce the rate of dropout.
Fowowe, a lecturer at the Department of Early Childhood Care and Primary Education, Lagos State University of Education, said that, if well implemented, multilingual education would facilitate mutual understanding and peace.
“Governments and schools need to develop partnerships with international schools or organisations by facilitating language exchange programmes, cultural immersion, and global connections.
“Multilingual individuals have improved cognitive skills, memory and problem-solving abilities,” he said.
Prof. Babajide Abidogun, National President, Early Childhood Association of Nigeria, said that stakeholders in education could make a difference and create a more inclusive and harmonious society by promoting multilingual education.
Abidogun, a lecturer at the Department of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Education, LASU, said that there was need to utilise multilingual textbooks, educational materials and technology in schools.
“Engaging parents and communities will help to promote multilingual education and cultural diversity so that all children can read and write,” he said.(NAN)
