Proceedings of The 6th International Conference on Advanced Research in Education
Year: 2023
DOI:
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What Does It Mean to Be Educated in Nigerian Student Experience?
Dr. Emmanuel Johnson
ABSTRACT:
This paper explores the question of what it means to be educated in Nigerian student experience in UK Higher Education. It is comprised of a literature review on the question of what it means to be educated, a discussion on the same question and its application to Nigerian student experience. As part of my analysis, I explore participant stories in my documentary film series titled Becoming Nigerian, which features perspectives from Nigerian students studying in the UK. In response to the question of what it means to be educated in Nigerian student experience, I conclude that, it means: to possess value and knowledge that legitimises the Nigerian identity. This understanding is guided by ideas of key scholars such as R.S. Peters (1966; 1967), Craft (1984) and Hirst and Peters (1970), who provide definitions of education which I explore in the paper. The idea of ‘legitimacy’ is linked to an Ibibio phrase that is mentioned in one of the five episodes of the film series, called ‘aman isong’, which can be translated as ‘belonging to the land’. Thus, the idea of ‘belonging’ to one’s native land is indicative of a sense of belonging, which is found in the Nigerian identity. I emphasise the importance of the Nigerian identity, and argue that, an ‘education’ that does not help provide this sense of legitimacy, may not be an education at all for Nigerian students.
keywords: Education, Nigerian, Student, Identity, Film