INEC deploys 707,384 Presiding Officers

…drawn from NYSC members

…FG adds electoral education to the primary school curriculum

The Independent National Electoral Commission will field 707,384 presiding officers for the general election starting February 25.

The committee also said that since electoral education is important, it was necessary to include it in the National Values ​​Curriculum of primary schools in Nigeria.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, made this statement during the public presentation of the Electoral Education Curriculum and Teachers’ Guide for Elementary Schools.

The curriculum developed by the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Enhancement – The Sustaining Electoral Engagement for Democracy project, funded by USAID and FCDO and implemented by the National Democratic Institute and IFES, was in collaboration with the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council, INEC (through the Voter Education Department), National Orientation Agency, Civil Society Action Coalition on education for all and academia from across the country.

Okoye said: “We believe electoral education is important to our nation’s goals. Elective education is a specialized area, which is why we have included this curriculum in the National Values ​​Curriculum in our primary schools.

“For example, for the 2023 general election in Nigeria, the committee will deploy a total of 707, 384 chairpersons and assistant chairpersons.

“These presiding officers will be drawn from the draft of young men and women doing their National Youth Service Corps, while the assistant presiding officers will be drawn from students of federal tertiary institutions.

“It is therefore important for us to understand the importance of electoral education in the development of our democracy.

“A national citizenship education curriculum and teacher manual with a specific focus on electoral education will prepare our children for the challenges ahead and also prepare them to respect other people’s races and also prepare them to take on leadership in the future. ”

IFES President Anthony Banbury said his contribution to the project was to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process through effective teaching and learning of citizenship education in primary schools.

“To catch them young, the revised curriculum is a signature innovation that will introduce children and youth very early to the concept, processes, ethics and values ​​of democratic systems and governance.

“For the orientation of the young people, it will be essential to initiate a shift from the existing norms. In the long run, it will increase civic participation and knowledge of democratic systems and values ​​as today’s children become tomorrow’s adults and voters,” Banbury said.

NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Ismail Junaidu said the aim was to strengthen the fabric of the country’s democracy for sustainable growth and development.

According to him, since the return of democracy in 1999, citizens’ participation in elections and the electoral process have remained a concern.

He also said that a known reason for this was the lack of adequate electoral knowledge.

“Therefore, promoting a democratic electoral culture and developing civic skills are necessary for informed and responsible participation in elections and in the electoral process,” said Junaidu.

He said the above has informed the initiative of the NERDC in partnership with IFES to develop the Electoral Education Curriculum for primary schools in Nigeria.

Overall, he says, the curriculum is designed to introduce young learners to the principles of democracy and to equip them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for active civic participation in the democratic process.

“In particular, the curriculum is designed to achieve five main objectives, namely: to provide students with basic knowledge of the concept of democracy, the role of elections in democracy and good governance.

He said the choice of primary school students depends on the core principle of using education as a tool of socialization for young people to take on adult roles for the good of society.

“Teaching electoral education at this level will thus ensure that when children reach voting age, they will have already understood the basic principles of active participation in the political and electoral process,” said Junaidu.

While Education Minister Mallam Adamu Adamu praised NERDC management for the initiative, represented by his Senior Technical Assistant, Dr. Claris Ujam, said that the curriculum had become a dynamic process for sustainable national development.

He said: “Every time there are changes or developments around the world, school curricula are affected.

“Therefore, including concepts and content of electoral education under Civic Education is in line with the Ministry of Education for Change’s aspiration: a Ministerial Strategic Plan.

“This is to enable the acquisition of citizenship values ​​and skills through quality education. The curriculum content of electoral education represents a remarkable step towards positive change in the electoral landscape and political development.”