INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION IN NIGERIA, Ebele C. Okigbo, Nneka R. Nnorom, Ernest O. Onwukwe [best reads .TXT] 📗

reliance and productivity, participation in governance, health, environment, religion, art, peace, culture, social and moral learning, integration and belonging according to the need of a particular society in order to adapt to constant societal changes.  Knowles (1980) asserted that the greatest danger to survival today is that man’s ability to cope with a changing world is lagging farther and farther behind the changing world. Regarding this assertion by Knowles, Nigerians Challenge to meet up with the ever changing and competitive world is quite immense and dependent on the development of the right skills at different levels of human endeavour.  According to Nigeria policy on Education (2008), Nigeria is decades behind in the provision of the right environment for the development of the required skills.  The solution to this problem, according to Knowles “is constant retooling of the present generation with competences as required by them to function adequately in a condition of perpetual change”.  Such competencies as seen in the sections of this paper are quite imperative.  With CLCs nobody in the community is left behind including the OOSC and youths.  In the CLCs, practicing Entrepreneurs will encourage OOSC to participate in arts, crafts and skills which captures their interests.  Equipment and facilities will be provided by the Government in cooperation with the Community members.  Feeding programme can also be introduced in CLCs for sustaining the learners at least once each day.  Through this process, the OOSC and youths will be equipped with entrepreneurship skills and sound characters to enable them utilize their potentials and capabilities to the fullest for improvement of their lives and the entire nation.

 

In addition, another major strategy is creating awareness and conscientizing traditional leaders, CBOs, FBOs and NGOs through the use of both old and modern media on the danger of neglecting the OOSC and youths in communities and the gains in encouraging them to engage actively in entrepreneurship programmes.  This can be achieved through organizing regular education and training programmes for community leaders or through enlightenment programmes for traditional rulers and president generals of communities who will be expected to create awareness on the entire community members on the values of entrepreneurship education for the OOSC and youths.  The involvement of the entire community members will facilitate development of entrepreneurship spirit in both young and old and equally generate the spirit of ownership when such programmes are established.

 

Implications of the Study

This paper provides awareness on the danger of neglecting OOSC and youths who consists great percentage of Nigerian population. It further suggests the gains in educating OOSC and youths in order to avoid further social menace, violence, crimes and insecurity in the country, bearing in mind that they are future leaders.  Following this information, the government, traditional leaders and other stakeholders in education should design sustainable and practical programmes according to the needs and interests of each community in Nigeria to take care of entrepreneurship education needs of the OOSC and Youths.

This paper also suggested CLCs as an effective strategy which could enable OOSC and youths to acquire skills in their local communities.  This will reduce the danger of rural urban migration and other socio-economic problems.  

 

Conclusion

Great percentage of Nigeria’s OOSC and youths roam the streets.  As the OOSC and youths population grows, so do poverty, unemployment, crime rates and insecurity.  In order to reduce these menace, this paper suggests that the Government, policy makers, traditional leaders, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), adult educators, NGOs, Faith-based organizations, private organizations and other stakeholders should embrace and support entrepreneurship education for OOSC and youths through the establishment of CLCs for sustainable economic growth and development.  Based on the report made in this paper, the following recommendations were proffered for effective and quality entrepreneurship education for OOSC and youths in rural and urban areas in Nigeria.

 

Recommendations

The following recommendations were made:

There is need for establishing CLCs in communities through combined efforts of the Government and the community members. Integrating character and cultural orientation into entrepreneurship programmes is imperative. This will help to reprogramme the mindset of the youths and OOSC from corruption and mad chase for money. The OOSC will be helped to learn variety of skills according to their talents, interests, needs and aspirations.  In the CLCs, physical structures, such as workshops, libraries facilities, guidance and counseling services, health clinic with rest rooms, portable water, resource materials and feeding incentive should be made readily available for the OOSC in order to sustain their learning.  The CLCs can be enforced by the government through agencies such as National Orientation Agency (NOA) and National Mass Education Commission (NMEC).  

Training in the CLCs should also be supplemented with loans and targeted appropriately.  The programmes should be well funded.  Necessity to develop women entrepreneurs who will act as role models and mentors to female children is quite necessary.

 

2.                There is need for government to install and improve the epileptic power supply in the rural and urban areas in Nigeria.  This will help to boost micro industries so that the OOSCs and youths could be able to practice the skills they learn in their communities.  The government should encourage young entrepreneurs by eliminating multiple taxation and cumbersome legal framework to enable young entrepreneurs start up business and thrive.

 

3.                Technicians and Adult educators should be trained and engaged for facilitating entrepreneurship training in communities.  This will help OOSC and youths benefit from such training.  Educators in the CLCs and other entrepreneurship centers should be experienced technicians, tradesmen and craftsmen and not teachers/lecturers who focus on transmission of knowledge that can be reviewed in only written tests and examinations.  Industries and professional bodies should be co-opted to ensure practical training and meaningful experience for students.

 

4.                There is need for industrial expansion in agriculture and solid minerals to create opportunities of employment for youths and OOSC who may not readily start-up their own businesses after their training.  

 

Learners should be encouraged to form entrepreneurship clubs and groups at an early stage so that they can be able to develop entrepreneurial mindset early enough for creativity, innovation and solution of practical societal problems.

 

References

Anugwom, G.A. (2007).  Entrepreneurship in Nigeria:  Principles and practice. Enugu:  Phycee Kerex Publishers.

Bello, M.I. (2015).  Vocational training needs of 15-25 years old out-of-school Youths in Bauchi Metroplis.  Bauchi:  University press.

Duru, O.J. (2006).  Developing entrepreneurship skills. Enugu: Oval publishers.

Essien, E.E. (2006). Entrepreneurship Concept and Practice.  Uyo: Abaam Publishing.

 

Idgho, A.I. & Eshotse, E.H. (2016).  Youth empowerment should be priority for  Government.  The Punch, Friday  April, 2016.

Knowles, M.S. (1980).  The modern practice of adult education from pedagogy to andragogy.  New York:  Cambridge.

National Bureau of Statistics (2014).  Labour force survey.  Abuja:  NBS.

Federal Republic of Nigeria (2008). National Policy on Education. Lagos: NERDC.

Nwangwu, I.O. (2006).  Fundamentals of entrepreneurship in education Management.  Enugu:  Cheston publisher.

Obidiegwu, U.J. (2013).  Developing non-formal education sector in Nigeria for  sustainable development through the establishment of CLCs.  In W.E.  Obiozor & U.J. Obidiegwu. Globalization of adult education, theories and strategies for Instructors, 72 – 85.

Obidiegwu, U.J. (2016).  More to education than academics:  A call to discover Talents and learning personalities for effective entrepreneurship development.  In J.O. Ogbuagu, U.J. Obidiegwu. W.E. Obiozor & E.N. Okafor.  Readings in entrepreneurial Studies for Sustainable Development, 117 – 140.

Patrick, J.M. (2006).  Towards alleviating poverty and empowering the indigenous

poor people in Nigeria:  Strategy for attaining the millennium goals.  Journal of Adult

Education in Nigeria, 3(12); 3-10

Premium Times (2018 October, 4).  Nigeria now has 13.2m out of School Children-UBEC – Premium Times in Nigeria. https://www.premuimtimesng.com>...

UNESCO (2016).  Global initiative on out-of-school children.  The Vanguard, Tuesday February, 1-1.

UNICEF (2015).  Education/UNICEF Nigeria. Retrieved from https//www.unicef. Org>Nigeria>e  

Trading Economics (2019).  Nigeria youth unemployment rate.  Retrieved from https://tradingeconomics.com>yout...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION SIX

 

 

ENVIROMENTAL SECURITY THROUGH SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMPARISON OF MINERAL AND HEAVY METAL CONTENTS IN COMMERCIAL EDIBLE CLAY (ULO AND NZU) IN AGUATA ENVIRONS

 

Dr. U.G A. Okeke

&

John .I. Abayomi

 

 

Abstract

This work compared the mineral and heavy metal contents of two edible clays white chalk (ulo) and calabash chalk (nzu) sold in Eke Ekwulobia Aguata L.G.A of Anambra State of Nigeria and only metallic elements were determined. The analysis of the two edible clays was carried out using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (ASS) to determine the essential minerals and heavy metal contents in them. The result shows that Mg (17.253 ppm), K(2.003ppm), Al(65.352ppm), Ca(3.722ppm), Pb(2.401ppm), Cd(1.636ppm), Cu(0.00ppm) and As(1.001ppm) are the minerals and heavy metals present in white chalk (ulo) while Mg(24.930ppm), K(5.221ppm), Al(26.215ppm), Ca(11.552ppm), Pb(1.900ppm), Cd(0.789ppm), Cu(0.00ppm) and As(0.663ppm) are the minerals and heavy metals present in calabash chalk (nzu). The presence of Cd and Pb which is above NAFDAC permissible limit per day (0.01ppm) and (0.30ppm) respectively shows that the consumption of either of the two clay will be harmful to human life.

 

 

Keywords: Mineral, Heavy Metal, Commercial Edible Clay (ulo and nzu)

 

Introduction

Clay is a naturally occurring aluminium silicate (Guggenheim and Martin, 1995). It is primarily composed of ultra fine grain material. Clay is distinguished from other fine grain soils by difference in size and mineralogy. Silt is a fine soil similar to clay. However, clay is finer (in fact ultra fine grain). It is so fine that it is almost impossible to identify crystal from it. The distinction between clay and silt grains varies by discipline. Geologist, soil scientist, sedimentologists and colloid chemists all draw their distinction based on particle size in um which in all cases has the finest particle. Geotechnical engineers distinguish between silts and clays based on soil plasticity (Hunter and Kleine, 1984). Plasticity refers to the ability of the material to be moulded to any shape. Examples of clay includes; illite French green clay or sea clay, montimorillonite (Bentonite clay), chlorite, calabash chalk which is identified by different names such as; calabash chalk (English), la craie or Argile (French), Ndom (Efik/Ibibo), Ali (Hausa), Efun ile (Yoruba) and Nzu (Igbo), White chalk which is referred to by different languages as shile (Ghana), Laka  (Hausa), Amo (Yoruba)) and Ulo (Igbo) (Abrahams, 2013); Ekong, 2012).

 

Clay is widely eaten by children and pregnant women in eastern part of Nigeria. Some just pick up some clay particles from excavation sites and eat without and preparation while some others buys from the local markets to eat. Some pregnant women can hardly do without it in their early stage of pregnancy i.e. first trimester, while believing that it enhances the development of their babies and impact fair complexion to the babies (Mcloughin, 2009).

 

Clay minerals have common sets of structural and chemical properties (Aufreiter, 1997). They are members of phylosilicates that contains large percentage of water trapped within the silicate sheets. There are four large groups of clay minerals which includes; the montimorillonite/smectite group which has the chemical formula (Ca Na H) (Al Mg Fe Zn)2  (Si Al)4O10(OH)2.XH2O where X is a variable amount of water. They have wide application among other uses are; facial powder, filter to paint and rubbers, an electrical, heat and acid resistant porcelain, in drilling mud and plasticizer (Carretero, 2002).The Kaolinite group which is also known as white cosmetics as fillers for paints rubber and plastic (Carratero, 2002). The clay mica group which has the chemical formula (K, H) Al2 (Si, Al)4O10(OH)2.XH2O. X is variable amount of water. It has use as filler and the Chlorite group which is relatively large and common. It has the chemical formular X46Y4O10 (OH, O)8, the X is either Al, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Ni, Zn or Cr, while Y is either Al, Si, B or F (Carratero, 2002).

Eating of clay earth, soil or related material is generally referred to as geophagy and such material referred to as geophagical material. (Ekosse et al.,2010). Geophagy is a world- wide practice (Johns 1999). It is practised by humans of all gender irrespective of their age or race. Geophagy practices cuts across African continents from East Africa to South Africa (Ekosse, 2010).

 

The conclusion is that those animals eat “dirt” clay to act as detoxins to protect them from poison arising from eaten poisonous plant. Geophagy in Nigeria is noted to be especially associated with pregnant women, who consume earth materials to alleviate the symptoms of morning sickness. Pregnant women from Igbo tribe – a