Nigerian education group gets lesson in China

19 November 2009

A group of Nigerian education officers learned their own lesson the Chinese way.

The delegation - made up of officials from the Nigerian government and from five states - visited education projects including the DFID-funded Gansu Basic Education Project.

The visit was set up by the DFID-funded Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria.

During a week spent in Gansu Province, the group met with the director of the project management office and education bureau leaders at provincial and county levels.

They also interviewed teachers and students at primary and secondary schools in two project counties.

In Beijing, the delegation met with officials from the Chinese ministry of education, visited two schools and took part in the fourth International Forum on Education for Sustainable Development.

In a meeting with DFID China’s education advisor, John Leigh, the group discussed differences between the basic education systems in China and Nigeria and reflected on what they had learned.

Among highlights of the trip noted in a final report were:

• The pupil-centered learning and participatory style of teaching.
• Strong leadership exhibited by the head teachers and the school administrators at the county and provincial levels.
• Strong support and clear strategic direction given by the county and provincial governments.
• The culture of discipline and commitment displayed by students and teachers.
• Clean, well-ordered environment in schools.
• An emphasis on school-based development planning.

Lessons learned on the trip will inspire projects to transform basic education in Nigeria, supported by the Education Sector Support Programme