The Miseducation of the Nigerian Architect

Abstract

The last century has seen design through technology alter the lives of people, from being utilized as a tool for political propaganda, to power statements, as well as improving the lives of people. Design disciplines people, and the architect who by training automatically possesses this ability becomes one of the most important people in society due to his ability to directly impact the environment. For this reason it is important to examine how his training matches up to such responsibility. However, it has been noticed that the training of the Nigerian architect hasn’t developed at the rate it should, lagging behind in its use of technology, as well as the role which the architect should be playing in society. This can be traced back to his education; how he is taught, what he is taught and how he practices his profession. Education here is defined as the intentional equipping of an individual with relevant skills and knowledge which is guided towards a measurable objective. How does the training of the architect align to this? Are there really objectives and how clear are they to the lecturers and students? Are the objectives reviewed and measured for shortcomings? These fundamental questions are important in properly educating the architect. Similarly, common inhumane acts amongst some lecturers such as destruction of students’ projects are some unethical acts which are questioned; are such individuals worthy of being educators, are they not unaware of their roles and what education is really about? The architect’s training should be dynamic, one which must keep matching up to the new innovations and changes of our time or become a victim of it. Keywords: Architectural Education, Miseducation, School of architecture, Architecture in Nigeria. DOI : 10.7176/ADS/76-08 Publication date :September 30 th 2019