THE ROLE OF TEACHERS IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH: IMPACT ON NIGERIA ECONOMY
Introduction
According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), "a child is any person under the age of 18" (Lansdown & Vaghri, 2022). Due to the naivety of their being–a precipitate of their inexperience–who teaches them and what is taught is very important in determining the trajectory of their lives. In many instances, these factors go a long way in defining their end.
Childhood is the most pliable period for any human. It is this very reason that makes the child very vulnerable! This is also the reason why we must fully consider the economic implications of the child's development and growth in Nigeria, with an emphasis on how much the teacher needs to do.
Body
Child development, according to Halpern (2015), is a constant and dynamic process that promotes social, emotional, physical and cognitive changes in a system of interaction that includes the environment where every stage of these changes is made. An understanding of these defining changes and the many factors that interact with them is fundamental for the teacher in leading the child into a successful and productive life.
“Teachers affect eternity; no one can tell where their influence stops”
-Henry Brooks Adams
To provide the child with the footing to carry a valuable life, the teacher should be ready to shape attitudes and influence behaviours. This effort will be productive when it is done with the mindset that the mental, intellectual, physical and emotional foundations of the child are still forming.
Furthermore, the teacher must fully appreciate the reality that children develop at different rates. Thus, the expectations and limitations for one child will not be similar to another. This will guide the approach to disciplinary measures and help plan appropriate learning content. It will also prevent unnecessary burdens on the child to attain heights that are above his natural reach. Otherwise, we are left with a child who is denied the comfort of systematic growth. The ripple effects will rub off on both the future of the child and society.
“The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of the mind to satisfy it afterwards”
-Anatole France
Curiosity is important for learning to happen. Teachers who utilise this tool in training the mind of a child make the greatest impact. A curious mind will often take a longer time to reach satisfaction in the quest for new information. The teacher has to encourage the child to ask questions and give them opportunities to think through them. This approach will impact their level of understanding, boost confidence and raise their willingness to approach the demands of Nigerian society. To feed the curiosity of the child's young mind, the teacher must push him or her to embrace uncertainty as not a disadvantage but an opportunity to grow. For overall growth, the child must have room to practise acts that will help in resolving those uncertainties by engaging in behaviours that allow relaxed reasoning.
Children, especially at the most early stage are often in a state of confusion as to what reaction to give situations that present themselves. It is the teacher who points to the path of decision. It is also the teacher who provides the lamp to guide each step of the child's feet!
What effects does this leave on Nigeria’s economy? For now and tomorrow.
Romer's widely accepted endogenous growth theory establishes the concept that a country's economic growth has a direct link and is driven by the quantity and quality of its human capital (Schilirò, 2019). For Nigeria to develop, the economic value of its workforce will have to improve. The full growth and development of the Nigerian child is a sustainable pathway to economic recovery and advancement.
Sustainable Development Goal 4 places priority on quality education to ensure that countries, including Nigeria, commit to lifelong learning, especially at the early level of childhood. Early education stimulates rapid mental exposure and understanding of life-changing concepts. It boosts the performance of the child in his social environment and his or her adult income in the labour force, later on.
If Nigeria is to have any future at all, children must play an active role in it. But the future is bleak as a recent report shows that more than 20 million Children in Nigeria are not in school (Umeh, 2023). A more concerning report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) shows that a whopping 15 million Nigerians are engaged in child labour (ILO, 2021)–a severe economic cost for our GDP.
Child labour is a trigger and a consequence of poor economic development. Because out-of-school children do not complete the basic level of education, their pay in the labour market is significantly lower, which ultimately translates to severe economic implications for the Nigerian economy.
Children that receive proper training, especially early education are more likely to pursue higher education which will eventually translate to higher income possibilities. They are also less likely to indulge in abusive activities, thus a reduced tendency to be arrested or incarcerated.
A country's economic growth hangs on the support of the strength of its workforce and the knowledge they possess. The child who has understood the many facets of life under the guidance of a holistic teacher has a greater potential for success in the long run, and even in the short-to-medium term.
Conclusion
The future we seek is not a random project; we must make efforts to design it. For it is when we have done all that is necessary in guiding the Nigerian child through a good developmental process that we can comfortably sit and wait for the gains of tomorrow's leaders while also enjoying the dividends of their contributions now. Let us not forget that it is easier to build strong children than it is to repair broken men!
References
Goodreads (2023). Quotes. Available at https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/19377-the-whole-art-of-teaching-is-only-the-art-of
Halpern R. (2015). Manualde Pediatria do Desenvolvimento e Comportamento. 1st ed. São Paulo: Manole; 2015.
International Labour Organization (2021). ILO Supports Nigeria's Response to Child Labour Emergency. Available at https://www.ilo.org/africa/about-us/offices/abuja/WCMS_803364/lang--en/index.htm
Lansdown, G., Vaghri, Z. (2022). Article 1: Definition of a Child. In: Monitoring State Compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children's Well-Being: Indicators and Research, vol 25. Springer, Cham. Available at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84647-3_40
Schilirò, D. (2019). "The growth conundrum: Paul Romer’s endogenous growth." Published in: International Business Research , Vol. 12, No. 10. Available at https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/97956/
Umeh, K. (2023). Tackling menace of out-of-school children in Nigeria. The Guardian. Available at https://guardian.ng/sunday-magazine/tackling-menace-of-out-of-school-children-in-nigeria/
