REPOSITIONING TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN NIGERIA FOR CREATIVITY: A PATHWAY TO ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Abstract

This paper examines the imperative of repositioning Nigeria's teacher education 
programs to foster creativity as a strategic approach to achieving sustainable 
development, given that education, particularly quality education (SDG 4), serves 
as a critical agent for realizing all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 
paper argues that Nigeria's lag in SDG realization is largely attributable to an 
education system that emphasizes certification over skill acquisition, and proposes 
that teacher education programs must prioritize four essential creative skills: 
entrepreneurship skills for fostering self-reliance and economic participation; 
critical thinking skills for enabling independent and systematic analysis of societal 
problems; problem-solving skills for addressing development obstacles; and 
information and communication technology (ICT) skills for enhancing teaching 
quality and promoting lifelong learning. By equipping both pre-service and in
service teachers with these creative competencies, the paper concluded that these 
trained teachers can transfer the same skills to their students and society at large, 
creating a cascading effect that positions the Nigerian state to effectively address 
development challenges and realize the SDGs by 2030. It was recommended, 
amongst other things, that the government, through the Ministry of Education, 
should review the teacher education curriculum to shift its focus from mere 
theoretical knowledge and certification to the deliberate cultivation of creative 
skills.