Kehinde Adeleye
The Lagos State has approved Yoruba Language as a subject for testing the knowledge and thinking ability of Pupils sitting for the Placement Test by Continuous Assessment Scores CAS) in the State.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Abayomi Abolaji disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Alausa, Lagos.
In a statement by Bakare Fatai, Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Examinations Board, the Permanent Secretary noted that the study of Yoruba Language is already embedded in the Education Curriculum of the State, adding that Primary Six Pupils transiting to Government Public Junior Secondary Schools would be tested in Yoruba Language in the Year 2025 Placement Test by Continuous Assessment Scores (CAS).
He, therefore, stressed the need to encourage the teaching and learning of Yoruba as an indigenous language in schools, pointing out that this would add value to the culture and total ways of life of the people.
The new policy was the outcome of a consensus by stakeholders including the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in the State, the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools ( NAPPS), Conference of Private Schools Association in Lagos ( COSPAIL), Curriculum Services Department of the Ministry, Lagos State Examinations Board, Association of Christians International, Egbe Akomolede ati Asa Yoruba, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) and Basic Education Services Department of the Ministry.
He also noted that UNESCO had adopted the Motion/Policy of using the child’s language environment in schools until the child gets to primary three in his/her education career to strengthen the teaching and learning of the child’s indigenous language.
Abolaji assured stakeholders of the State Government’s commitment to addressing the problems associated with the teaching and learning of the Yoruba language for ease of learning.
The Permanent Secretary also revealed that for the Year 2025 Placement Test by CAS, Pupils would be tested on Mathematics and Language, pointing out that Mathematics would comprise Quantitative Reasoning while Language would comprise English Studies, Yoruba Language, Verbal Reasoning and General Paper.
