Dismantling structures of dehumanisation in Nigeria's education system

Abstract

At the heart of every civilisation is a human sociality articulated by various forms of education. Forms of education are formulated, through communication, to direct belonging and visions and to see to the needs of society. These ways of belonging to a particular society are informed by the knowledge availed to people in order to enable easy socialisation within the community. As such, dehumanisation and humanisation are possibilities in education. While most policies affirm humanisation through education and communication, there are structures within society that negate this affirmation. The aim of this chapter is to report on the situation in Nigeria with the hope of philosophically engaging the social reality of communication that humanises and dehumanises in the education system. Many scholars have analysed the education system in Nigeria by challenging policies. However, these scholars constitute the problem because they create a language that is structured in a way to neglect dehumanisation in the Nigerian education system. They push the voice of marginalised people under a drive for collective development. To substantiate my position, I will draw on scholars like Ifeanyi Menkiti, Kwame Gyekye, John Mbiti, Kwame Nkrumah, John Dewey and Paulo Freire, among others.