Applied Scholastics centre opens in Nigeria
By Emmanuel Edukugho
Posted to the Web: Thursday, November 30, 2006

APPLIED Scholastics International of the USA opened the first training centre in Nigeria on the Campus of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Oto Ijanikin, in a grand breaking ceremony last Wednesday.

Applied Scholastics, a non-profit international organisation with over 700 affiliated groups in more than 40 countries, partnering with Education Tax Fund (ETF), is bringing a revolutionary study methodology to Nigeria, the body is to train educators from various educational institutions throughout the country. These Master Trainers upon completing their training will return to their respective areas to start training other educators.

The grand opening ceremony of Applied Scholastics International and Study Technology was attended by the Special Adviser on Education, Lagos State, Professor Tunde Samuel, representing Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chairman of the College Governing Council, Mrs Adefemi Taire, Acting Provost, Mr. Hakeem Ajose-Adeogun, Prof. Olasupo representing the Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, His Royal Highness, Onijanikin of Ijanikin, Oba Momodu Ashafa, Chairman of Ojo Local Government, Hon. Aina, a representative of Oba of Badagry, the Aladirin of Ikare Kingdom, the Registrar of AOCOED, Barrister Bola Disu and the Registrar of Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria.

At the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) training centre, other educators will come to receive training technology of learning how to learn, developed by Mr. L. Ron Hubbard.

The centre will be headed by Dr. Morris Ayilde Benjamin, assisted by Mr. Lateef Layiwola and Mrs. Omolala Ladele. Training of more professors will begin in January 2007.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between AOCOED, represented by the Ag. Provost, Hakeem Ajose-Adeogun, and Joan Sigal of the Applied Scholastics Project, after which the cutting of the tape at the Centre Complex was done by the Onijanikin of Ijanikin.

Hakeem Ajose-Adeogun described the event as a very special milestone in the development of the college. He said that the primary goal of every educator, teacher, manager, administrator, planner and indeed every stakeholder in the field of education is to ensure top quality teaching, fruitful interaction between the teacher, the learner and the environment and productive learning by the students. The overall intention is to produce graduates who can apply what they have learned to improve on their lives and the society.

"Today, however, it is doubtful if any productive learning is going on in our schools. Outright lack of interest in the subject matter of study, large and un-manageable class sizes, outdated methods of teaching, tired and obsolete mode of imparting knowledge, etc, are factors that are still working actively against efficient knowledge sharing in our schools," according to the Provost.

He explained that it is within this framework that the college has chosen to partner with Applied Scholastics International, an apolitical, non-profit, and educationally oriented organisation based in Missouri, United States, to address the problem of inefficient, if not outrightly unproductive teaching and learning going on in our schools.

"Applied Scholastics has been able to develop and patent the educational philosophy embodied in the teaching and learning methodology developed by the educationist and humanitarian, L. Ron Hubbard. These teachings and learning methods, collectively known as Study Technology are contained in published materials copyrighted to L. Ron Hubbard Library. It equips the teacher and the learner with interactive learning strategies and techniques, which are much needed for successful classroom life as well as for use in professional life thereafter."

Study Technology has the potential to eliminate exam malpractices, school dropouts, lack of co-operation, problem of handouts and other vices which currently has a vicious grip on our school system. The technology allows for total comprehension of any subject by any student. It is about making students partners in the teaching process and not passive recipients of knowledge in the classrooms.

Ajose-Adeogun recalled that in August 2004, a team of 10 trained Applied Scholastics Instructors came to Nigeria and delivered Study Tech to ILO educators sponsored by the Education Tax Fund. These educators were returned to their districts to train others. In April 2006, an Applied Scholastics delivery team of 14 trained 85 Nigerian professors and doctors of education from 19 colleges as certified supervisors, known as Master Trainers, so that they could train others in Study Technology. Arising from this training and further to extensive consultation between the College and APS, AOCOED has now been appointed as the first permanent Applied Scholastics Office in Nigeria, with responsibilities for its zone and the housing of the headquarters for the APS Centre. The opening of the centre here today will launch the first permanent Study Technology Training Centre in Nigeria.

He pledged the determination of AOCOED to take this new technology to the nooks and crannies of our country in the very shortest time. Governing Council chairperson, Mrs Adefemi Taire lauded the choice of the college as national centre and signing of MOU, saying, "we are totally committed to make this venture worthwhile."

She said the partnership between AOCOED and Applied Scholastics International of USA will be mutually beneficial, boost education in Nigeria and the status of the college locally and internationally, and won't be trifled with. "The programme which has started today will be a success to the benefit of Nigeria and generations yet unborn," Taire wished.

Special Adviser on Education, Prof. Samuel noted that the event is monumental in several respects as it coincides with the programme of the government to train 1,400 teachers.

"The Lagos State Government will do everything possible to provide moral, financial and institutional support for the project. I wish AOCOED a very successful effort in training more teachers. This is what I want to see. This college was set up to train teachers and therefore must be in the forefront." Prof Olasupo, representing the VC of LASU cautioned that it is easy to sign MOU, but not easy to implement it practically and become active. He appealed for adequate funding which is essential, urging both parties to collectively source fund as government alone cannot fund education. He promised that LASU will assist the project in whatever areas of need including supply of expertise.

Joan Sigal, Senior Consultant, Applied Scholastics International said the opening of the centre as an important event and landmark not only for the college but the entire nation. She said there is tremendous need to provide interactive learning strategy, concepts, tools, skills and effective teaching techniques and real solutions for creating students who can comprehend their academics and who can use their subject matter to further their education and life goals.

Applied Scholastics, established by American educators in 1972 to promote and develop programmes of effective education for educators, business trainers, tutors, parents, children and any individual who need improved study skills to enhance their scholastic, business and personal activities. The job of Applied Scholastics is to place the Study Technology developed by Ron Hubbard into the hands of world's students and educators.

Study Technology is an exact system which teaches one how to learn. It includes the identification of the specific barriers to learning, the tools to help a student grasp the material being studied, and the means to organise the basic learning environment toward the attainment of better results for both the student and teacher.

Study Technology gives the student the techniques and understanding which enable him to take increased responsibility and control of his own learning process. Numerous studies have shown that students who have shown that students who learn and apply Study Technology achieved remarkable improvement in their scholastic progress.

*In Mexico City, Study Technology was introduced into a private high school in which one class had a 95% failure rate on their material. After the students learned to use Study Technology, the same class achieve a 90% pass rate.

*In England, it was found that students improved their reading levels by 1.3 years after only 10 hours of study using the technology. *In South Africa, a literacy programme produced an average gain in reading level of 2.25 years. Also, the pass rate of students enrolled in 19 government schools increased from 43 to 78 percent after the Study Technology had been in use for only six months.

*Again in Southern Africa, Education Alive, an Applied Scholastics affiliated organisation, introduced Study technology into a teacher's college. The drop out rate for teacher trainees fell dramatically to only 2% as a direct and immediate result of the programme.

*In Los Angeles, California, USA, students at a school which uses Study Technology throughout its curriculum regularly score 30% above the national average on pre-college aptitude tests.

Applied Scholastics has a network of over 550 centres and schools in more than 60 countries. Currently, over 30 literacy tutoring centres/community education schemes are using this technology in USA, Canada, Australia, Malaysia and New Zealand, to bring education to deprived ethnic groups and indigenous races, giving them the vital skills needed to operate in today's societies.

Applied Scholastics has introduced Study technology to more than 1.5m students and tens of thousands of teachers in South Africa, trained over 5,000 teachers in China since 1984, 10,000 teachers got training in Study Technology in Zimbabwe since 1994, over 10,000 teachers and students of schools and colleges trained in Mexico since 1995, over 4,000 teachers trained in USA, while Study Technology has been implemented in The Gambia with over 5,500 teachers trained.

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