MATTHEW LIPMAN'S PHILOSOPHY OF CATCH THEM YOUNG: AN IMPERATIVE FOR MORAL AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The indispensability of education is too obvious to ignore. It is a machinery of empowerment: equipping citizens with knowledge, values, attitudes, competence skills and moral in a manner that enables individuals to discover their creative genius thereby taking their place in the culture of productivity of their country. However, this aim of education is truncated by the educational system currently run in Nigeria. Our educational system gives undue credence to academic paper qualifications which are seen as automatic passports to attractive salaries and special status in the society. Examinations are essentially tests of academic ability - the ability of recipients to reproduce retained information on demand - rather than test of reasoning ability, competence and above all moral integrity. The outcome of this has been an immense increase in the number of “bookish scholars” at the expense of reasonable individuals who are critical and responsible, able to think for themselves, making judgment on all issues affecting them and be able to understand and interpret critically government activities, as such making positive impact in the society. This paper with the aid of Matthew Lipman's pedagogical approach attempts to demystify the problem of unreasonableness in our educational system and using critical analysis approach emphasizes that education should equip recipient with critical thinking ability which is better done at tender age.