Don wants inclusion of educational psychology in school system

Ini Billie, Uyo

Educational psychologist, Prof. Imaobong Akpan, has advocated for the inclusion of their expertise in the nation’s educational system.

Akpan, a professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said the country’s educational system is suffering because educational planners have neglected the crucial roles of educational psychologists in the teaching and learning process.

Speaking during the 94th Inaugural Lecture of the University titled, “The Educational Psychologist: The Unsung Catalyst in a Dysfunctional Society”, Akpan recommended that their expertise be consulted and fully included in the development and implementation of national and regional education policies.

She said until Nigeria sees the need to incorporate the services of educational psychologists into the teaching/learning process, the system would continue to suffer avoidable mishaps.

“The work of the educational psychology revolves around understanding, improving and optimising the teaching and learning processes to support development, success and wellbeing of learners in school and non-school settings.

“The teacher cannot teach effectively unless he clearly understands the psychology of the learner. The school plant, books teaching aids and everything material used in the teaching-learning process are all products of psychological conceptions.

“Our society tends to place little or no value on the educational psychologist whereas the educational psychologist is the invaluable catalyst in the learning process.

“As a catalyst in the learning process, the educational psychologist provides the rubrics for successful learning and teaching. Every functional education system needs their services and whenever they are ignored, the system suffers avoidable mishaps,” she stated.

The professor expressed regret that despite the relevance of educational psychologists in society, they remain largely uncelebrated in society, and called for the official recognition of educational psychologists in the national and societal development framework.