Founder of DEAN initiative, Mr Semiye Michael, has called for inclusion of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) study in schools curriculum to educate students on societal issues to achieve the goals.
Michael said this during an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, October 24, 2019 in Abuja.
“Our school curriculum has to change to reflect the SDGs so that students are carried along in the societal issues and give them the room to proffer their own solutions if we must achieve the goals,’’ he disclosed.
According to him, if this happens, te society will stop building children that are job seekers but job creators with the guide of SDGs.
“What we have today in Nigeria is a situation where we have two million graduates; two million job seekers.
“We have locked up these children for so long, we have to focus on them to make them realise that they are part of the society; that their opinion counts and they are not just at the receiving end.
“An average Nigerian school today teaches students to live for themselves not for the country.
“In the U.S., they will say look for what you will do for your country and not what your country will do for you,’’ Michael said.
He said that Nigeria does not have a system that builds people that leads to societal development rather many of the graduates seek for self welfare and not societal welfare.
Michael said that the content of foreign schools was founded on societal development and welfare not on personal interest.
“So, in the process of time, the people were taught how to build the society they are now living and their children.
“Nigerian students are so intelligent academically but unfortunately the focus of our education is based on self survival and sustenance.’’
Michael said that the organisation, which focuses on good governance, is aimed at harnessing the energy of young people and children in achieving the SDGs.
“We integrate them into the SDGs and not only to know about it but to be included in solving the problems.”
By Perpetua Onuegbu
