In the study of colonialism, the likes  Walter Rodney, Frantz Fanon, Samir Amin, Claude Ake and many others took Africans on  historical journey of bow colonialism did  damages to the people of Africa and their heritage. 

They described the educational system bequeathed to Africans by the colonialists as the type that didn’t teach the African to be independent and creative.

It is almost a century that colonialism left the shores of Africa, yet the same educational system(the colonial legacy)  is what we still have, producing our leaders and decision makers.

The same educational system produces the professors that teach future Nigerians to be leaders, thereby continuing the legacy which African scholars roundly condemn.

One would wonder why a supposed computer science graduate from a Nigerian public university or polytechnic must goto a nearby cyber café or business center to learn the practicals of their course of study.

One of the identified reason is that Nigeria is yet to appreciate the theory and practice of foundational excellence,which simply means to teach the child to be self reliant from the tender age. That’s the Chinese model. So apart from the academic and theoretical aspect of learning, the Chinese also combine practical experience for children even in primary schools. That has helped them break away from Western domination and they have even risen to challenge the West in technology and science, competing keenly in African markets.

Education without integrity is just a cosmetic. Why we have so much looting and unprofessional behavior among the educated elite of Africa is the imperialistic and dependent nature of our education, deemphasising dignity of labour.

Also contributing to this malaise is the large scale moral depravity rampaging our political class, causing children to lose interest in education because of a bleak future for the educated African. So there is a need for education to be holistic and complete. For this to be achieved, education needs to combine theory, practical and morals.

One institution that has decided to adopt this three prong approach to education in Nigeria is Leadbrain Academy, Zaria.

Seated squarely in a white two storey building on #8,Yoruba street, Sabon Gari,  Zaria, Leadbrain Academy houses classes from crèche to senior secondary classes.

With ove 30 teachers, all subjects are taken care of. Each teacher manning area of their specialization.

Speaking to the director of Studies and CEO of the school, Mr Michael Arome Momoh, our reporter gained an insight into the Vision and missions of the school, which are very clearly stated as to build a standard of education which teaches Nigerians to be keen competitors in all fields of life, and to make Nigeria a major technological hub through indigenous technology, respectively.

In line with the Vision of the school, the best hands are sought in the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University and Federal college of Education, all in Zaria, and its neighborhood. For instance, from the Ahmadu Bello University came most of the teachers, prominent among whom are Mr Martins Ani, popularly called Uncle Ben Ten, after a popular cartoon character, an architect and a creative artist, he designed the masterclass of the school and has started to teach the kids as early as in class four of the secondary school to use software such as corel draw, Autocad, etc.

Also, Mr Sam Monye, a fine economist from the department of economics in ABU, Zaria is employed to take the kids on the foundations of rational behavior. Mr Monye doesn’t conduct a lesson without practicals and assignments. Frequently, trips are taken to the markets if need be, to explain phenomena such as inflation, CPI  and so on. Bank managers are invited to give practical teaching on banking and demystifying the role of banking in the society, this is beside excursions to banking institutions.

Other teachers are Mr Saviour, a computer and IT consultant, who is a webmaster and also a cyber security consultant, to teach the children the holistic computer practice and its role in the fields of human endeavors.

Space will fail us to analyze the entire activities going on in the school per day, including excursions to highly valued government institutions like the Nigerian College of Aviation, Zaria and National Agricultural Products Research Institute.

One major practical lesson that needs to be mentioned is Aunty Grace’s soap making, disinfectant making, detergent making, cloth dyeing, bead making etc. Interestingly, the kids have shown more than enough willingness to learn because they have been made to understand what the benefits of such lessons are.

Mr Momoh, while appreciating our medium for such a visit, lamented the paucity of funds to pursue vigorously all the itemized visions of the school, and called on the government to ensure that noble ideas like his get assistance from the banking sector via easy loan facilities and promotions.

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