By By Ganiu Bamgbose, PhD
Education is the bedrock of national development, and teachers are the custodians of that foundation. Any society that treats the training of teachers with levity indirectly mortgages its future. In Nigeria today, however, educational policies increasingly suggest that pedagogy—the art and science of teaching—is gradually losing relevance in government priorities. From the long-standing insistence on English-only instruction in schools to the recent controversies surrounding the exclusion or marginalisation of education students in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), there appears to be a dangerous drift away from sound educational philosophy. These developments raise a troubling question: is the Nigerian government unconsciously presiding over the death of pedagogy?
One of the earliest manifestations of this crisis is the excessive emphasis placed on English as the exclusive language of instruction in many Nigerian schools. Nigeria is a multilingual society with over 500 indigenous languages, yet educational success is often narrowly measured through competence in English. While English undeniably serves as an important lingua franca and a tool for global interaction, the overdependence on it has created deep pedagogical problems.
Research across the world has consistently shown that children learn best in their mother tongues or familiar languages, especially at the foundational stages of education. Learning becomes easier when concepts are introduced in languages students naturally understand. Unfortunately, many Nigerian pupils encounter a strange educational environment where they are punished for speaking indigenous languages in school premises. In some schools, children are fined or embarrassed for speaking Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, or other native languages. Such practices not only alienate learners psychologically but also weaken cognitive development.
The irony is striking. Countries such as China, Japan, Germany, and South Korea attained educational and technological advancement largely through their indigenous languages. Nigeria, however, often behaves as though intelligence can only be measured through English proficiency. Consequently, many brilliant students who possess practical understanding of concepts perform poorly simply because they struggle with English expression. Education then becomes less about knowledge acquisition and more about linguistic survival.
The implication for pedagogy is profound. Good teaching requires connecting learning to the learner’s reality. When instruction is detached from the linguistic and cultural experiences of students, teaching becomes mechanical rather than meaningful. Pedagogy thrives on accessibility, interaction, and comprehension, not intimidation through language.
Beyond language policy, another disturbing trend is the apparent devaluation of education programmes and education students within the Nigerian tertiary admission structure. Over the years, there has been growing concern about how students seeking admission into education-related courses and institutions are treated in comparison with students in supposedly “prestigious” disciplines such as medicine, law, engineering, or accounting. The message communicated, either directly or indirectly, is that education is a last resort for candidates with lower academic performance.
This mentality is dangerous for national development. No profession survives without teachers. Doctors are trained by teachers. Engineers emerge through teaching. Lawyers, journalists, pharmacists, and scientists all pass through the hands of educators. Yet, the training of teachers is often treated as intellectually inferior. In many cases, students proudly announce that they “ended up” in education after failing to secure admission into another course. Such societal attitudes have been reinforced by institutional practices and policy inconsistencies.
The recent decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to exempt candidates seeking admission to colleges of education from writing UTME and reducing the admission criterion to four credit passes in relevant subjects further expose this problem. At a time when Nigeria faces a severe shortage of qualified and competent teachers, one would expect deliberate policies aimed at attracting the best minds into the teaching profession. Instead, the system often appears to discourage talented candidates from pursuing education degrees.
The consequences are visible in classrooms across the country. Many schools struggle with poorly motivated teachers, inadequate pedagogical training, and declining instructional quality. When society consistently portrays teaching as a profession for the less privileged or academically weak, fewer passionate and competent individuals are willing to embrace it wholeheartedly. The educational sector then enters a vicious cycle of mediocrity.
Another troubling dimension is the obsession with certificates over teaching competence. Pedagogy is gradually being overshadowed by examination culture. Students are trained to memorise facts for tests rather than develop critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. Teachers themselves are pressured to “finish the syllabus” instead of ensuring genuine understanding. The classroom becomes examination-centred rather than learner-centred.
The Nigerian government’s educational priorities sometimes deepen this crisis. Massive investments may be announced for infrastructure or technological reforms, yet little attention is given to teacher development, classroom methodology, or language-sensitive learning approaches. Educational reforms frequently focus on policy headlines without sufficient consideration for pedagogical realities.
For example, introducing digital learning tools without first addressing teacher preparedness can create superficial modernisation rather than meaningful educational transformation. Technology cannot replace pedagogy. Tablets, smart boards, and online platforms are useful only when competent and motivated teachers effectively integrate them into learning processes. A poorly trained teacher with sophisticated technology still produces poor educational outcomes.
Furthermore, the declining respect for education as a discipline threatens national intellectual stability. Universities thrive when faculties of education are vibrant research centres for curriculum innovation, language development, child psychology, and instructional methods. Once pedagogy is neglected, educational institutions merely become certification factories.
Nigeria must therefore rethink its educational philosophy urgently. First, indigenous languages should be meaningfully integrated into foundational learning. This does not imply abandoning English but balancing it with local linguistic realities. Multilingual education can strengthen comprehension and preserve cultural identity while still preparing students for global communication.
Second, education programmes should be repositioned as prestigious and strategic national disciplines. Scholarships, improved remuneration, professional incentives, and public recognition can attract talented students into teaching. Admission processes should encourage—not frustrate—prospective education students.
Third, teacher training institutions must receive stronger institutional support. Continuous professional development should become mandatory so that teachers remain updated in modern pedagogical methods. Educational policies should also emerge from consultations with classroom practitioners rather than purely bureaucratic considerations.
Ultimately, no nation rises above the quality of its teachers and educational philosophy. When pedagogy dies, national development becomes an illusion. The excessive glorification of English-only instruction, combined with the systemic marginalisation of education students, reflects a dangerous misunderstanding of what true education means. Nigeria must rediscover the dignity of teaching, the importance of learner-centred instruction, and the centrality of pedagogy to national progress. Otherwise, the country may continue producing graduates without producing genuinely educated citizens.
(c) Ganiu Bamgbose writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose, PhD
Department of English,
Lagos State University, Ojo
[email protected]
08093695359, 07084956118
