Greetings!
I graduated from school in this modern era of technology, and during those days, there were some departments in our school that I frowned upon greatly because most of the things they taught and practiced were done in a very outdated manner. One of these was the Department of Office Management Technology. This course is actually good, no doubt about that, but the way they went about learning typewriting with old-fashioned typewriter machines was out of this world. For God's sake, where are old-fashioned typewriter machines even used in offices today? It will interest you to know that even today, such courses and their practicals are still conducted in many schools, and the school management in Nigeria doesn’t seem ready to change anything about that.
I had friends who were studying this course when I was in school, and they had to go the extra mile by buying or renting typewriter machines. The whole situation was just too funny because they would finish studying, spending so much time and resources on assignments, yet after graduation, the course—or more specifically, the local typewriting method—wouldn’t be useful, as no one or no office in the world today would prefer a typewriter to the ease of typing on a computer, dealing with ink ribbons and all.
Another course that should be removed is the compulsory study of foreign languages. Way back in secondary school, we were forced to study French, and it was a struggle because the French teachers were never friendly. They tried everything possible in a harsh manner, like flogging, to force the language into us, but it didn’t work. I remember we were forced, with the threat of the cane, to buy French textbooks, and after all those experiences, where are we today?
Even in tertiary school, some departments had to learn French as a general course, and students were really pressured to buy textbooks and “sort out” lecturers because no one was genuinely interested in learning the language under those conditions. The truth is, we know the benefit of learning a foreign language—it can lead to a well-paying job—but it’s very rare to effectively learn and understand it through a school curriculum. Most of the people I saw who were proficient in French took it upon themselves to get private lessons, rather than relying on the school system.
Reflecting on my own experiences, none of us in high school graduated speaking French, nor did my friends who were required to study it in tertiary school graduate with any real knowledge of the language. All that time spent learning was simply a waste, and it's high time schools focused on teaching practical skills rather than spreading thinly across all areas and mastering none.
In this modern age of technology, learning languages can be done easily through apps, and those who are genuinely interested find it quite easy. That course should be removed from the school curriculum, allowing students a smoother school experience and learning process. Period!
Thanks for reading.
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