- “Value is no more alive in the society; youths only get what they want to get from the internet, no one cares to teach them the norms and values of the society that was in the past anymore.
Some Primary and Secondary school teachers in Bwari Area Council of the FCT have lauded Federal Government’s revival of History subject in Nigerian schools.
The teachers expressed their appreciation in interviews with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Bwari, Abuja.
The Federal Government on Friday directed all basic and secondary schools across the country to immediately implement the teaching of history as a standalone subject from the next academic calendar.
Mr Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education who made this known also said that the government would ensure that all primary school teachers are trained to deliver digital literacy.
Mr Musa Ayuba, a Headteacher in one of the government schools in Bwari, said that History was needed in schools to restore values among youths.
According to him, reconsidering the subject in schools will restore morals to society and also recover cultures replaced by modernisation.
“Value is no more alive in the society; youths only get what they want to get from the internet, no one cares to teach them the norms and values of the society that was in the past anymore.
“They don’t even know how we got to where we are right now; foreign foods have taken over traditional foods and while foreign cultures are alive, ours is dead.”
He said that it was the duty of various schools to give their students enriching tours around museums and historical sites that still exist in the different parts of the country in order to put theory into practice.
Another teacher, Mr Choice Nnamdi, said that it was the duty of schools to produce History teachers for the subject in order to redirect the thoughts of students.
He also said that the communities were not left out in the role of ensuring the history of cultures is shared among the youths.
Nnamdi, however, called on leaders at the grassroots to do the best they could to ensure good cultures of the people were maintained by inculcating them into the lives of the young ones.
“There is also the need to call for the study of Archeology in schools, as it also goes further to tell the people about their past.
“At the British Council Library here in Nigeria, they have the best of what we don’t have because they find archaeology enriching and that is worth emulating.
“We need History as much as Archeology. Culture needs to come back and we need to do these by putting all hands on deck.”
Similarly, Mrs Roselyn Yuhe, a Proprietress and Education Consultant described the effort as a welcome development while praying that Geography would also be put into consideration.
Yuhe said that students who do not know much about where they come from were likely not to appreciate the future.
She explained: “The same way our past experiences help to shape our future, there is the need for our young learners to know where we are coming from and define the next right move to where we need to be.
“What is the future of a society whose young people don’t know their roots.
“Understanding the past will not only help our learners to know about the past but to make the right decisions that will give birth to a better future.”
She further noted that learning about past events like the civil war would help the young learners to avoid mistakes that could lead to war or crisis.
