Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof Charles O. Esimone, has called on Odinala Igbo to look beyond mere translation of scientific discoveries in Igbo language but at the intrinsic contribution of ancient Igbo to scientific innovations even when they had no formal education in scientific learning and technology.
Esimone stated this during the inauguration of the OCHIE Igbo STEM Committees, held at the ASUU Secretariat, UNIZIK, on 15th March, 2024.
News Echo reports that Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka is in collaboration with Odinala Cultural Heritage Foundation whose mantra is for the development of Curriculum for science, technology, Engineering and Mathematics where Igbo will be the language of instructions and evaluation within the southeast institutions.
Speaking in his welcome address, Prof Esimone said the task which OCHIE Igbo and the Department of Curriculum and methodology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, have set about is to ensure teaching Igbo Children basic science in Igbo language, anchored on the premise that children learn better when the language of instruction is in the mother tongue, the first language, is welcomed but gargantuan.
He stressed that in most of the upper and middle class Igbo families, the spoken language is the home and in their prestige schools is the English language. Even in the so called low class families, this is also the trend, particularly in the urban and sub urban communities. This trend should be arrested otherwise the attempt to make Igbo the language of instruction for STEM or other subjects would be nugatory.
Keynote speaker, Prof Chinedu Ositadimma Nebo who spoke on the potentials of mainstreaming Igbo as the Language of Instruction and Evaluation for STEM in Igboland urged south east governors to make the language a text-run for those seeking for government work in the region adding that it is imperative for Universities in South East region to make Igbo Language compulsory for students.
Also speaking, National President OCHIE Igbo Project, Dr Chukwuma Ogugua Orji noted that the project aims at putting the Igbo nation on the imternational map of education specifically in science and technology.
Dr Orji, however, thanked Prof Esimone, Vice Chancellor, UNIZIK for accepting to partner with the STEM project within the Southeast.
The Executive Director of OCHIE Igbo STEM Project, Okoro Chinedum Benedict, maintained that the project will raise a generation of Igbo children who can innovate, conceive, invent, and interpret phenomena in the Igbo language.
He noted that it will also take off on a virtual note targeting to enrol Igbo kids from all parts of the world.”This way, the educational barriers and challenges associated with the learning sciences in our primary and secondary schools would be a thing of the past”.
“over the years, educationists, researchers, and curriculum development experts have argued that children perform better when taught in their mother tongue, hence the project”.
Chairman, OCHIE Igbo STEM Curriculum Development, Prof Lilian Rita Akudolu in her key note address – Relevance and Prospects of Igbo language Curriculum for STEM, stated that the Igbo language is appropriate for teaching any school subject including STEM. “Implementation of Igbo Curriculum in the teaching of STEM improves learner’s rate of language acquisition; enhances the development of critical thinking, creativity and self esteem, promotes preservation of culture; makes learners active in the learning process; enables parents to participate in the education of their children and enables learners develop interest in the language”.
Contributing, Unizik Don, Dr Stanley Mgbemena described the event as a process set to resurrect the dying Igbo culture and make it an instrument of instruction in the classroom. Adding that even those who do not speak Igbo will have to study General Studies ( Igbo 109) so that they can equally align with the methodologies of the learning process.
Meanwhile, those present were the National President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide ,Chief Emmanuel Iwanyawu who was represented at the event by Prof Fred Eze, students from Linguistics department, Scholars and experts.
While inauguration of members of the Coordinating Committee, members of the Curriculum Development Committee, and members of the OCHIE Igbo STEM project – IgboTranslation Committee formed highpoint of the event.
