Private educators demand culture-based teaching in schools

Private school owners, under the aegis of the Association for Formidable Educational Development, on Wednesday, urged Nigeria to embrace African-driven approaches that blend tradition with modern advancements.

The association also stated that for learning to drive sustainable development in Africa, the future must rely on low-cost educational solutions rooted in cultural wisdom, local resources, and innovative practices.

Speaking in an interview with journalists, a matron of the association and former wife of Oyo State governor, Dr Bukola Ladoja, said the essence of the gathering was to give affordable and quality education to students.

She also said the association was playing a major role in exposing school owners and teachers to training on the best approach to handle pupils’ problems with reading and understanding.

She said she had trained 250 teachers in five states of the southwest region, combining innovation such as the use of mother tongue, and embedding technology into education to reinforce learning and impact schools under the association.

Speaking at the AFED 2025 African Education Conference, themed “Harnessing African Wisdom and Innovation for Sustainable Development,” the National President of the association, Orji Emmanuel, noted that the future of Nigeria depends on how well it educates its children today and in the years to come.

He said Africa had always been a hub of wisdom, resilience and creativity with a traditional learning system rooted in mentorship, storytelling and apprenticeships that had shaped generations of leaders, innovators and problem solvers.

He said, “Today, we must draw from this African rich heritage while embracing technical advancement and policy reforms that make education more inclusive and impactful.

“We must work together – school owners, educators, policymakers and partners – to create a system where no child  is left behind and where education should remain the strongest driver of sustainable development.”

Emmanuel disclosed that for the past 25 years, AFED has been at the forefront of transforming low-cost private education by ensuring that millions of children, regardless of their backgrounds, have access to learning opportunities that empower them for the future.

“Our theme for this year reflects our belief that sustainable progress lies in blending our indigenous knowledge with modern innovation,” he stated.

He said AFED as a private body provides low-cost education, and offer assistance to children on the streets and out-of-school children.