At least every few years, we need to review and regulate all the policies. As technology and approaches in education are changing and developing continuously, we need to improve our educational policies accordingly. Every policy needs to be regulated based on demands.
Yes, that would be a good policy area to look at.
You identify critical areas that need policy, not only in Nigeria but in any country. Funding, academic term/semester cycles and the challenge of out of school children. What specific policy guidelines are used in Nigeria to address the problem of out of school children?
Bullying in school is a common issue that in most cases affecting the well being of students who are being bullied and these students gave them the feeling of not safe in the school. It is one of the factors that contribute to drop-out and out-of-school children.
I believe that parental negligence ,student attendance and a policy to safeguard teachers needs to be regulated by policies. Many times students are absent from school due to parents negligence. Parents do not prepare lunch for students ,they engage students in forms of work ,complaining about transport issues when the government is providing free transport assistance. The parents do not own up of their mistakes. I would rather give an example of this: There were a set of students from the same locality who would often miss school and when contacted by the Head of school the parents blamed that the teachers are not teaching their children well and therefore the students are afraid to be in school. However after the call the students did attend schools. When the students were asked about their attendance the students replied that there was no food at home and they had to make and sell brooms to make it to school. Some students even said that their parents had told them not to go to school and instead look after the younger siblings. The parents never own up its their fault that the children are not attending school. In other case should the case have been taken up the teachers job would be at risk by the
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1- Students performance needs to have a regular evaluation. This will make teachers, head teachers and other education personals to utilize the available resources provide by the government.
2- Technology enabled learning process; government should introduce a policy that would lead teachers towards adaptation of digital technology in their in person sessions. This would logically promote the standard and quality the quality of education. Moreover, this would provide more opportunities for UDL principles.
3- Extensive attention to the remote areas, less previlage/marginalized children, even if it means establishing an educational body
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the main issue as an example that obviously happened in Kiribati island is that there are always student missing school without parent consent. because these student were expected attending school by their parent, but they were in wrong places during school hours until the school is over and then they return home
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In a well organized school with a well qualified and hard working teachers - where students are the central of the teaching and learning process, obviously in this type of schools, it is rare for many parents to blame the teachers. I believed there are many parents who need a better or quality education of their children, therefore they often looking for the best schools in their locality. It is true that there are parents who understand - what is the importance of education to their children and also there are parents who does not and they neglect their children or not very supportive to their childrenâs education. I agreed that for such kind of parents they always put the blame on the teachers because of their negligence. In respond to such kind of issue, a policy perhaps may not be working but there are other positive ways like meeting in face-to-face with these parents in order to understand their problems for why they have neglected their children to school and this would be easier to identify a way to help them and their children.
If those type of absentees can be identified by teachers, it would be easy to report those absent students to their parents accordingly.
I think the reporting of studentsâ absences would be made easy if the enrollment/registration policy of the country also states that parents must provide their contacts (email and phone calls) to the school upon registration.
This would help the teachers to report absences of students to parents instantly. The problem in Kiribati schools today is that many of them ignore the importance of recording the parentsâ contacts. However, if the practice is incorporated in one of the education policies, the schools may be urged to get and record the parentsâ contacts.
This could help reduce studentsâ absences from school.
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Online/ E learning or blended teaching and learning policies could be developed by schools to support teaching and learning. Teaching and non -teaching staff and relevant stakeholders at ECE / Primary / Secondary Schools can collaborate and work together to support e- learning in schools as well as at home (in cases of pandemic) and at the same time protecting and safeguarding the welfare of all students.
It will guide all stakeholders to recognise that online/digital behaviour standards (including social media activity) must be upheld within, as well as beyond the confines of the school day(s).
E learning policies provides a framework for e- learning platforms, protection, identification, managing and reporting incidents on misuse of e- learning platforms, social centres and wherever organized educational lessons are conducted so that delivery of Education ministry mission is realized and at the same time progressive and holistic learning by embracing the well-being, safety, respect, and dignity of children.
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I concur. In addition, teacher qualification and welfare need constant review and adaptation.
Education policy needs to address the following so as to provide guidance on provision of education:
- outline the national goals of education
- infrastructure required for a learning institution
- qualifications of teachers/trainers
- curriculum to be implemented
5.lessons to be taught at each level and duration of the lessons - Funding of education
7.education for PWDs, out-of school, marginalized, vulnerable - provision of adult education
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Yes, I agreed and as far as I know, some schools (JSS and Senior Secondary Schools) especially on South Tarawa (capital island) are using an online-registration for students. I guess that these schools are also including in their registration systems about the contact details of the parents.
Inclusive education - inclusive education should be introduced in the main stream schools. There is special schoolâs for differently able students. There should be policies that should incorporate these students into mainstream schools. These will enable them to interact more will the able students , by which they will learn more by observing them and interacting with them which will prepare them for future .
corporal punishment is one such issue that requires policy intervention
Learning Activity 3:
Language of communication is one thing I have noticed that need to be regulated by policy.
Individuals have their own mother tongue and different race of students attend university therefore, the common language of instruction in lecture room shall always be english and english shall always be spoken while in lecture room
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Revise the counselling act in the education system where a proper counsellor to be present in every school for the discipline problem that we all have in schools.
Inclusive education issues, school discipline and how the curriculum should be implemented.
The need to synchronize the curriculum and varied academic calendar and sessions across the country, Nigeria, has become vital in positive regulation of affairs in the educational sector.