By Ishaq Dan-Imam, Lokoja
Poland Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs Joanna Tarnawska, on Tuesday urged elders and teachers to develop character in young people and mold future leaders for the development of Nigeria.
The ambassador made the remarks, while delivering her lecture titled: “How to Effectively Pass Knowledge and Inspire Students in the Contemporary World,”at the 6th Personality Lecture of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) held at the Felele Main campus, Lokoja, Kogi.
Tarnawska said the youths are eager to learn about life and things around them, which calls for caution on passing information across to them.
According to her, every well meaning nation is working towards having well disciplined, charismatic and patriotic future leaders that bring about growth and development.
“This means that elders and teachers must endeavour to inspire the youths or the students, be the guide and teach them how to look for information and how to get the gist.
“Nowadays, a teacher is not an encyclopedia anymore, but a teacher is a book mark and a beacon who points to the relevant paragraph.
“Therefore, a teacher must know his or her audience, adapt your language and content to the listeners.
“Know your subject matter and be ready to deepen your knowledge continuously as a teacher so as not to lose track, she advised.
She also pointed out that in as much as discipline is key in our training of the youths or students, it must be done in a moderate manner so as not get a negative result.
Earlier, in his remarks, the FUL Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, emphasised the importance of effective teaching and inspirational mentorship in empowering students to become critical thinkers, innovative problem-solvers, and compassionate leaders.
The VC, who noted that the ambassador’s lecture focused on strategies for inspiring students in today’s world, said it was drawn from Poland’s rich legacy of academic excellence and innovation.
Akinwumi, however, urged the audience to embrace the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and lifelong learning, and to recommit themselves to empowering the next generation of leaders and innovators.
The lecture was preceded by an interactive session, where the audience engaged the diplomat on ways to shape the future of education in Nigeria.
The event climaxed with questions and answers session and the presentation of gifts to those who got the correct answers to the questions.
Professor Akinwumi said the event was a huge success, as the university community looks forward to such collaborations in the future as the university relished the knowledge-sharing opportunities of this nature.
