Author urges FG to reinforce knowledge in schools through music

Author urges FG to reinforce knowledge in schools through music.

A Nigerian author, Jack Oswald, has advised the Federal Ministry of Education to explore music from renowned musicians such as Davido and Wizkid to reinforce knowledge in the new generation children.

Oswald who doubles as a visual artist, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday, in Lagos.

He said considering the rate at which times had changed in the way children learn, a new educational system should be developed to aid their assimilation and comprehension.

According to him, this could also be adopted to spur reading culture in children.

“If we want our young people to read and remember in a different way, we must present the content of educational material to them differently.

“Imagine five minutes of Mathematics in a Davido song, or Wizkid or Burna Boy’s music, none of these kids will forget those formulas ever.

“We live in interesting times where children learn to swipe through their parents’ phones to get to their favourite apps at the speed of light.

“These kids and the ones coming after them are not changing anytime soon, so the reading culture has to change for them, to accommodate them.

“It calls for the exploration of the opportunities in audio books and multi-dimensional educational aids, it calls for the redefinition of child education curriculum, its content, modes and channels of delivery,” he said.

Oswald said the era of acknowledging and rewarding academic excellence should be embraced to encourage children to thirst for more knowledge and read extensively.

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He said government might need to look at the production for online television as a strategic thrust for the development of a homegrown curriculum.

Oswald noted that a post-millennial reading culture could be birthed when government harnessed all its investment in educational psychologists and private sector-driven technology.

According to him, investments in television, radio networks and broadcasting assets are equally important.

“A history of rewarding excellence from bookish knowledge is not exactly commonplace.

“Online, you will find ridiculous prizes presented to first-class graduates by their schools such as N1,000, N10,000, when N30 million is up for grabs for reality shows that expose nudity and all.

“These are not exactly the type of inspiration to read.

“Analogue book reading culture may never go away, but getting kids to look away from colourful videos and application with multi-dimensional content to look at boring black and white will remain an uphill task,” he said.

Oswald the author of “Man Who Knew Too Much” said his next book entitled “The Wrath of the Madam” would be launched soon.

He said the story borders on data management, elections and the conflict that sucks in a nurse, single mother to battle the deep state with a needle.

“The ladies will absolutely love this,” he said.