GOOD NEWS: ASTRONOMY TO BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA

GOOD NEWS
Akujor insists on astronomy in
The Astronomical Society of Nigeria (ASN), says it has
begun “a major thrust” to ensure that the
fundamentals of “astronomy” are taught in the
educational system at every level.
ASN President, Professor Chidi E. Akujor told The
Guardian, that ASN had, at its just-concluded Annual
General Meeting (AGM), in Abuja, established a
permanent committee to “vigorously pursue” this
objective.
Akujor, who spoke at the National Space Research
and Development Agency (NSRDA), venue of the
conference, said the “Committee on The Promotion of
Astronomy in the School System” would start work
immediately.
“Its terms of reference,” he explained, “are to create
a standardized training programme for primary and
secondary school teachers and for graduates whose
first-degree courses didn’t include astronomy.”
It is quite common, Akujor noted, for students in
Nigerian universities to obtain degrees in disciplines
such as “mathematics,” “chemistry,” “biology” and
“physics” without taking any course in astronomy.
The Society, at its 6th AGM, decided that this
deficiency was no longer tolerable. It proposes state
level diplomas, in Astronomy, and other remedial
action, at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
ASN has mandated the Committee to write and
request that State
Governments “provide us with an opportunity to
train teachers in the various schools in their states—
with no cost to them.”
The Astronomical Society of Nigeria consists of
astronomers, astrophysicists, engineers and scientists
who are interested in promoting astronomy and
space science.
Akujor, an astrophysicist and radio astronomer at
the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo
State, said ASN’s role is the “study of Astronomy in
Nigeria and its application for… development.”
He explained further, that the organization was
formerly regional (West African) in scope but is now
a national body, affiliated with the continental
African Astronomical Society (Afas).
Akujor insists that ASN’s initiative is not really a
“reform” of the country’s educational system, as
such, because nothing new is being introduced.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN