HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN NIGERIA SINCE 1898: IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Keywords:
Science, Technology, Educational development, National developmentAbstract
This paper examines the historical development of science and technology in Nigeria from 1898 when the first major attempt at entrenching science and technology in educational programme could be said to have started in Nigeria. This was the year when the Moore Plantation, Ibadan was established as a science and technology-oriented research centre in the geographical area now called Nigeria. This earliest effort was followed by the establishment of similar research centres in parts of Nigeria, notably at Samaru and Umudike in Northern and Eastern parts of Nigeria respectively. This was with a view to boosting agricultural production and providing raw materials for industries (in Europe). The study features historical analysis in the examination of the various issues involved in the development of science and technology in Nigeria. This is with a view to considering the level of scientific and technological accomplishments in Nigeria and the implications for educational development in the country. It was found that Nigeria has not recorded an appreciable feat of scientific and technological breakthrough for the sustenance of its teeming populace despite its determination to do so. This has low implications for educational development of the country. However, these are largely due to high scale corruption of successive administrations and public officials in the socio-political and economic milieus. It is recommended that Nigeria addresses more practically, the issues of corruption, financial mismanagement, and policy discontinuity in order to fulfill more realistically its dream of sustainable national development through education.
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