Innovative Education in National Development: Tackling Nigeria's Economic and Social Challenges

Abstract

The need to tackle Nigerian's economic and social challenges requires a paradigm shift in educational innovative processes. Nigeria educational ecosystems over the years have been immured to many positive changes through inconsistent innovative policy measures, bad regulatory system and strain innovative climate among others. This study focused on innovative education in national development and how it can be used in tackling Nigerian's economic and social challenges. The paper review relevant literatures with emphasis on innovative education, innovation in educational institutions, innovation strategies, innovative challenges, innovative processes, Nigeria innovative policy and performance indicators. The paper revealed that Nigeria education Global Innovative Index is on a downward trend while our socio-economic challenges are on the increase. Besides, innovative climate and culture in our institutions of learning are highly constrained by factors like finance, technological infrastructure and resistance to change among others. This paper hereby concludes that innovative education is a necessary recipe for growth and development of any nation. Effective innovative education should be goal oriented, policy driven, with a school culture that promotes innovative climate. Besides, it must be forward looking and empowered with necessary technology and equipment coupled with training and support by stakeholders in educational development. Base on this, the paper recommends that Nigerian policy on education should be innovative driven particularly at children formative stage by including it in our curriculum and highly accentuated with good pedagogies. Besides, school management should provide innovative culture such as, collaboration among staff and students, creativity and effective innovative measuring techniques to enhance educational innovation that will promote growth and development.