The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is promoting the active use of the mother tongue in schools as a direct tool for enhancing learning and development in Nigeria.
UBEC expressed concern about the attitude of policymakers in implementing the language policy regarding the use of the mother tongue in schools.
The Commission highlighted that such an approach was negatively impacting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the most populous West African nation.
During a two-day stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Monday, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, emphasised that the country’s failure to prioritise the learning of native languages was contributing to the learning crisis experienced by most learners.
Bobboyi urged the federal government to promptly address the learning crisis caused by various factors.
He mentioned factors such as the absence of instructional materials, especially in the language of the immediate environment, poor teaching quality, insufficient parental guidance, and the lackadaisical attitude of states towards implementing the language policy.
“It should be stated that fundamental learning is critical to the development of productive citizenship, sustainable development, national cohesion, as well as peace and prosperity,” emphasised Mr. Bobboyi.
Mother tongue, or the language learned from birth, plays a crucial role in education.
Unfortunately, many people no longer feel the need to embrace their mother tongues, contributing to the sad death of native languages in Nigeria today.