Pedagogical Visions for a Digitally-Mediated Educational System in Nigeria: A Documentary Analysis Grounded in Philosophical Reflection

Abstract

This study interrogated Nigerian educational policies in relation to the articulation of visions for a digitally mediated educational system, looking specifically at how these visions converge with philosophical orientations towards equity and human development and what normative insights may guide transformative practice. A hybrid framework was employed, which integrated critical policy analysis, critical pedagogy, African communitarian thought and educational theories of digital mediation. Methodology involved qualitative documentary – philosophical design in which data were sourced from fourteen documents published from 2010 to 2024 and were analysed using the READ framework, combining critical policy analysis, textual analysis as well as hermeneutic reflection and speculative reasoning. Findings revealed that policies prioritise digital literacy, innovation, and lifelong learning, yet remain constrained by infrastructural deficits, teacher readiness gaps and limited cultural localisation. While rhetorical visions align with empowerment and communal responsibility, practice risks reproducing inequities. Normatively, the study advocates pedagogy-led digital reform: comprehensive teacher preparation, culturally grounded content, blended modalities, and equity-centred governance.