20200801

ART EDUCATORS HANGOUT HELD ON 26TH JULY, 2020

The time has come when we have to come together to address the dwindling state of art education on the continent of Africa. And the time is now!
When a value of a thing is not known abuse is inevitable. For this reason, we invited art educators/art enthusiasts to share their thought on this topic: The importance and value of Art education to the society. We have received about 66 responses so far and we shall be sharing them in this post.


However, the last ART EDUCATORS’ HANGOUT ended with applause for our presenter. Our presenter was Dr. Tijani Khadijah Iyabo, an Associate Professor of Art Education at the Department of Fine Art, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. She has been teaching Art for over 30 years, spanning all sectors of Academia i.e. Primary, Secondary, the Polytechnic and the University.
Excerpts from the presentation of Dr Tijani Khadijah Iyabo on the value of Art Education is shared below:
  • The first activity carried out by a child is art
  • Art is a means of communication
  • Art is use as a teaching aids to foster learning
  • Art serves as a means for culture transmission from generation to generation.
  • Art instill aesthetic value
  • Art formulates how we live in our communities
  • Art is custodian of culture.
  • Art is an integral of human life and core to human growth
  • Art teaches empathy
  • Art encourages and foster collaboration, creativity and critical thinking (thinking out of box). All the 21st century skills.
  • Art is used for therapy
  • Art is a means of expression
  • It is Science encapsulated in Art that becomes innovation, a novel and invention.
  •  Art stimulates imagination
  •  Art foster observation skills
  • Art foster problem solving skills.
  • Art instill self-confidence and improve self esteem
  • Art is used to relieve stress and improve well-being.
Watch the recorded video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFEjeeuthvo 
You can watch previous editions of ART EDUCATORS’ HANGOUT at: 
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 We are making progress, we invite to join us. We know you care about the advancement of art education on the continent of Africa, please make time out to lend your voice on the topic: The importance and value of Art education to the society by filling this form:

Furthermore, join us at the next edition of ART EDUCATORS’ HANGOUT for further discussion on this campaign. Date/Time: Sundays at 8:00 pm, West Africa Time (7:00 pm GMT). Venue: Microsoft Teams. To join us if you do not have the link already, send your name, institution and country to: +2348030874474 (Prince Olusegun - Lagos, Nigeria), +2348055161189 (Oladimeji - Ogun State, Nigeria), +233276886384 (Benjamin - Ghana) or +264812436990 (Christiana - Namibia) (WhatsApp only) and the link to join will be sent to you. For further enquiries, send mail to: teachingvisualart@gmail.com

Together and gradually we are changing the narrative of art education on the continent of Africa. Below are the responses we received:

Art education major is the link between the arts industry and the public. It exposes the society to the values, importance and the relevance of arts & its products to the day to day activities of people. It's affords the art educator a platform for organized importation of knowledge to the laymen or students.
Fahuwa felix
Kingskozept
Lagos, Nigeria

Art education enhances visual creativity, it helps thinking creativity, improve academic performance, it helps develop a child's fine motor skills, self-confidence, it helps visual learning accuracy, sense of aesthetic values and finesse, it teaches perseverance and focus, it gives room for collaboration, endurance, tolerance and accountability. It helps develop and create new things. It increases student engagement, learn positive habits, behaviours and attitudes. It sharpens student’s critical intellectual skills. It helps student through mistakes learn new ways of doing one thing in many more ways. Art Education gives opportunities for self-improvement and self-discovery. Art education determined the strength of the Society. The reason being that every other field is interdependent on art education. The deep riches of any nation rested on the creativity her citizens
Oladimeji Oluwagbemiga Isaac
Tai Solarin College of education, omu Ijebu
Ijebu ode, Nigeria

Art education helps to transfer knowledge and develop the sense of value for arts and artists. It also helps to imbibe the sense of cultural preservation.
Fashakin Michael
Whitesands School, Lagos
Lagos, Nigeria
Creating a peaceful, conducive, beautiful and amazing environment for the people through various artworks, sure as; paintings, sculptures, graphics design, ceramics, textiles, crafts,etc.
It also bring out the creativity in the pupils, learners and students in our various institutions from the nursery to the higher institutions
Aregbesola Akinola
University of Ado-Ekiti
Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria

1. Art education is congent to the Preservation and Evolution of culture
2. Development of individual ingenuity and maximing the potentials of individual uniqueness.
Thomas Oladayo Artistokraft
Funaab
Abeokuta, Nigeria

1. Art education helps in imparting artistic skills in the learners.
2. Art education imparts knowledge of art history in a society where learners apply art appreciation from the past and the present.
3. Art education promotes various skills and abilities that support value addition in art production.
4. Art education supports cultural preservation in form of art production, appreciation, cultural identity and economic development of a society, etc.
5. Art education enlightens a society on the many values that art has in a society from aesthetic to socio-economic development.
Mike Chilemba
University of Malawi, Chancellor College
Zomba, Malawi

If Art, is seen as a means of natural expression and cuts across all disciplines, and ethnicities which is not subdued to any kind of instructions, apparently, it becomes the bedrock of impacting and imparting through learning, coaching, mentoring and teaching visual arts and other branches of art education: such as in performing arts: dance, music, theatre, and visual arts: drawing, sculptures, painting, pottery, Weaving and fabric among others. Art Education would create a sense for beauty and best way you help achieve this is to unfold your innermost being and become, CREATIVITY "😁 Note that a world without art is a world without spirit
Princess Theresa Oghogho Iyase-Odozi
University of Lagos
Ogun State, Nigeria

Children are known to express themselves and communicate through artistic expression. Therefore, the value of arts education provides a levelled medium for them to interact. This gives schools an informal way of addressing social issues affecting their pupils, whilst enhancing their school curriculum. It has also been research that kids are more likely to respond and remember topics dealt in forms of arts education rather than traditional class lessons.
Gail Egbeson
Performing Arts/ Theatre
United Kingdom

1. Foster creativity
2. Develops aesthetics in the individual. That is our sense of realising beauty.
3. Develops the 3H. Head, heart, and hand. That is cognitive, Affection and the psychomotor skills
4. Fosters perception. Art develops our 5 senses in order to communicate effectively with our immediate environment.
Ernest Asare
Morgan International Community School
Agona Swedru, Ghana.

1. It served as a universal language.
2. It is a means of self-expression.
3. It employs critical thinking in creativity and problem solving.
4. It can serve utilitarian purpose.
5. It can serve as a means of employment.
6. It can earn a country foreign exchange through its Museums and galleries.
7. It contains records of a country's history.
8. It is sometimes for beauty/ aesthetics.
9. It gives legacy of creativity to posterity.
10. It increase the level of observation and representation of images visually in the mist accurate form.
Kehinde Adediran AFINOWI
KUJE SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
LAGOS, NIGERIA

You can only give what you have, if you don't have the knowledge, wisdom, and education, definitely you can't add value to the society and human educational development. Art education is the vehicle for civilization and cultural advancement. The world becomes a better place to live in with the generation of artists and their arts works expressing descriptive statements in different art forms. And the society at large remains alive with the presence of art educators and curator's.
Rasaki Olanrewaju .L. Oliyide
Elim Educational Agency Limited
Lagos, Nigeria

It's a conscious awareness of creativity born out of potentially towards recognition and utilization of visual arts.
Olanrewaju Temitope Julius
Government Science and Technical College
Abeokuta, Nigeria

Art education is sine qua non to human development. It stimulates creativity. It gives us an outlet for expression of our innermost/deepest feelings and serves as a connecting link between the past and the present generation. Undue emphasis have been placed on the sciences to the detriment of arts. Science cannot give expression to herself without the usage of art.
Otunaiya Ayodele Oluseyi
Federal College Of Education, Abeokuta
Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Art influences society by changing opinions, instilling values and translating experiences across space and time. Research has shown art affects the fundamental sense of self. Painting, sculpture, music, literature and the other arts are often considered to be the repository of a society’s collective memory. Art preserves what facts based historical records cannot: how it felt to exist in a particular place at a particular time. Art in this sense is communication; it allows people from different cultures and different times to communicate with each other via images, sounds and stories. Art is often a vehicle for social change. As the National Art Education Association points out, art is beneficial for the artist as an outlet for work and self-reliance. Art not only fosters the human need for self-expression and fulfillment; it is also economically viable. The creation, management and distribution of art employs many through work of art.
Olufayo Ibrahim Olajide
Tescom
Ijebu-ode, Nigeria

Art education is a powerful tool for self-expression in any society and it is a cure to unemployment. The government should make art education a compulsory course and give adequate provisions for its teaching.
Olanrewaju Shuaeeb Kusi
Lakuzzy creations
Abeokuta Nigerian

Art is a voice for justice, the down trodden, to tell a story, to sensitize a situation, to create love, to bring forth colour and life, to cultivate innovation and to generate income but last but not least to embrace cultures. Art Education nourishes and teaches all of these vital aspects of our society.
Covid-19 has really made it difficult for Artists and crafters relying on tourism for income but this is the time in Africa to join the IT world and embrace the platforms on offer. I am not an academic but a practical hands on person and I am amazed how my trainers have found or still finding innovative ways to reach our trainees during this time and to continue to engage them with projects
Michelle Inixas
COSDEF Arts & Crafts Centre
Swakopmund, Namibia


The important and value of Arts are too enormous, because without Arts, the created of reality, will make the world unbearable. Art is life, and life general is Arts. E.g. we have art of Greetings, cooking, and creating. Generally Arts is the visual representations of human taught or a feelings that satisfy one craving for the good.
Abiodun Abel Isaac
University of Benin. Edo state!
Benin city, Nigeria.

Art Education is a means of achieving a decent and hazard free environment through aesthetic planning of the society. Art Education sharpens and broadens our love for beauty and culturally rich society
Dr Ademola Azeez
Federal College of Education Technical Akoka, Lagos
Lagos, Nigeria

Life is all about Art
Onabolu Abiola
Lagos Nigeria

It creates more information and charge the ideas of our fellow black people towards art.
Olatunji Joseph Ogunlowo
Wood carver
Lagos, Nigeria

Art education is the direct educational component to carry out reflections on culture. Any nation is free if it does not recognize the national culture. Thus the first value of Art Education is its capacity to promote the conscience of the own culture. Through Art education, learners can understand the role of culture in the construction of a fair society. For instance, in what consist prejudices if not in a culture of segregation? Whether Arts have the power to denounce social injustices, Art-education possesses the potential to develop critical thinking skills from artistic manifestations. Art-education, although its natural, hands-on features, cannot diminishing to this restricted area. In case it is, we art educators are admitting that Art-education as a tool of oppressors. Arts as schools are into the society, not a part of it. Therefore, Art at school has to promote reflections on the society it is in. Frantz Fanon, in his book The Wretched on the Earth, deserting about culture, says, "If culture is the expression of national consciousness, it is the national consciousness which is the most elaborate form of culture." (P. 199). Art education as an important component of the educational curriculum is the counterweight against the universalization of culture and intellectual colonization.
José Márcio Carmo Plácido Santos
PASB
Brazil

To enable the individual to think for himself.
To stimulates initiative and enable individual to express himself or herself.
To train individual to be independent and self-reliant.
To inculcate into individual the spirit of organization and the act of responsibility.
Adeyemi Adedola
Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago - Iwoye.
Ijebu-Itele, Nigeria

1. Educating the society
2. Documenting the culture, tradition, values and heritage of the society
3. Maintening and practicing some of the cultures, traditions, values and heritages of the society 4. Source of communications among the society
5. Empowering the society towards self-reliance
VALUES OF ART EDUCATION
1. Aesthetic value
2. Educational value
3. Economic value
4. Expressive value
5. Cultural and religious values
Art education is a vehicle that carries the development of the society, because in every aspect of life of the society there is an element of art. People lives with art and used art in almost every aspect of their life e.g in the home, school, mosque and churches e.t.c but the society either they don't know it is art or they ignore to appreciate it as an important part of the societys' way of life.
Bello Usman
Federal College of Education (Technical) Bichi Kano State
Katsina, Nigeria

Art education helps in building you up. Channeling your emotions and passing a message.
Funmilayo Awoyungbo
Orede Art Academy
Lagos Nigeria

In today's world, an art and craft orientation is esoteric. Art must have design education instead of Fine and applied Arts focus. This will make artists relevant in the Creative industries as well as other technological options. There is no technological breakthrough in Africa because the Africans do not know that art is the missing link in technology courses.
Ifeta
Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun
Ijebu- Ode Nigeria

Art education is very important in the growth of any society because it provides opportunities for creative thinking needed for the economic growth of any developing such as ours.
Ekpo Udo Udoma
Davinci, Nok & Bezaleel
Lagos, Nigeria

Art is very important to the development of society. It helps us to understand other subject areas while serving as channel for the humanizing of society.
Enekwachi Agwu
University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Enugu Nigeria

It add life to people's living. Educate on the past and presnt artistic practices for future embellishment/building. Creating job opportunities to people in the era of less or no white collar job space. Building a complete citizen with acute intelligence, proper observation, leadership traits, senses of colour, design
ADEKOYA Martins Omotunde Alaba
Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu Ijebu
Ijebu ode, Nigeria

1. It helps us to understand our culture and identity better.
2. Art education makes us self-reliant.
3. It teaches us patience
4. It widens our imagination and makes us innovative.
Stanley Muoneto
Kenyatta University
Abuja, Nigeria

Art education is the bedrock of self-reliant society, wherein members of a society can grow their economic value and fashion out modalities for tools and implement needed for entry to the industrial revolution at their individual and group levels.
There is a need for value re-orientation among policy makers and political leaders that Art is beyond crude/primitive expressions but the lead into intellectual entry to the modern technology and digital lifestyle.
Oladunni Adesiji
Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta
Abeokuta, Nigeria

It helps an individual in the community to be innovative. Individuals are able to exhibit tolerance, collaboration and develop skills.
Tsotorvor Rejoice Makafui
Akatsi college of Education
Akatsi Ghana

Art education helps to visually communicate ideas and information to the society. This makes some values being exhibited and these values are not different from the normal values and beliefs being acquired by a certain group of people. Some are discipline, good attitude towards work, teamwork, etc.
Edem Kwami Buami
Ho Technical University

Art creates opportunities for students to learn to appreciate and value images and artefacts across times and cultures, and to understand the contexts in which they were made. Experiences in art, craft and design enable them to learn how to reflect critically on their own and others’ work. They learn to think and act as artists, makers and designers, working creatively and intelligently. They develop an appreciation of and engagement in art, craft and design as critical consumers and audiences and an understanding of its role in the creative and cultural industries that shape and enrich their lives. In life ‘knowing how’ is just as important as ‘knowing that’. Art, craft and design introduces participants to a range of intellectual and practical skills. It enables learners to use and understand the properties of a wide range of tools, machines, materials and systems. It provides children, young people and lifelong learners with regular opportunities to think imaginatively and creatively and develop confidence in other subjects and life skills. It has a crucial role at the centre of science, technology, engineering and mathematics;
Ojei uku-oritsemofe
Alvina Schools
Effurun, Delta State Nigeria

Art education broadens the level of creativity and makes students become critical thinkers in society. These are excellent attributes of good entrepreneurs and as such unemployment can be reduced drastically in Africa if Art Education is well promoted. Art used in so many facets of our lives today spanning from the media houses to all manner of businesses.
Jonathan Agbanu
Morgan International Community School
Gomoa-Manso, Ghana

It preserves our culture
Olufowobi, Adetutu
EDUCATION DISTRICT V
Lagos, Nigeria

Art teaching helps children with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, risk taking and inventiveness. Visual arts teach learners about colour, layout, perspective, and balance, all techniques that are necessary in presentation (visual or digital) of academic work. Art influences society by changing opinions, instilling experiences acro ss space and time. Art in this sense is communication, it allows people from different cultures and different times to communicate with each other via images, sounds and stories. Art is often a vehicle for social change. It can give voice to the politically or socially disenfranchised. A song, film or novel can rouse emotions in those who encounter it, inspiring them to rally for change. Art not foster the human need for self-expression and fulfillment, it is also economically viable. The creation, management and distribution art employs many.
Prof. Adamu A.Mbahi
University of Maiduguri
Maiduguri, Nigeria

It helps to connect us to our past and cultural origin.
Bello Oarhe Abdullahi
UNIBEN
Lagos State, Nigeria


It is a universal language. Now that we are in the computer age, art will contribute a lot to the understanding of educational facts. Art needs to be encouraged in our education for the complete development of our thinking.
Osho,Rasheedat Abiodun
Lagos state ministry of Education .Dist 3
Nigeria, Lagos Ikoyi

Art is a medium of expression, it is a means of communicating everything that concerns life. So art education is a necessary tool towards impacting knowledge to the society. It is a means towards a socio- cultural and economic development
Alabetutu Toyin Gloria
Ayinke Art African Aesthetics and Clothing Limited
Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria

The Knowledge of art is the backbone to the development of any society
No Knowledge of art no development
Ojo Olaniyi
AUD Junior Grammar schools Imota Lagos
Lagos Nigeria


In view of the sublimal power in Art.... Art Education can be a tool to enhance the language of thought and emotion for better understanding of people and to communicate with others irrespective of culture or race. Art Education can be a universal tool to protect diversity in multiple cultural society
Ike Tochukwu Aloysius
National Museum of Unity Enugu, Education Department
Enugu, Enugu state, Nigeria

Creativity is the first thing i will like to talk about. Creativity is an obvious but extremely important skill gained from art education and art make that available to all. Observation. Understanding various types of art takes fine-tuned observation even into general things around us. Self-expression. Art is the obvious arena for self-expression. Focus. Discipline. Perseverance. Collaboration. Risk-taking etc. This is a motor drive that i will like to join cause it one of my goal to reach out to the next generation
Ebenezer Oluwafemi Awoderu
Vivian Fowler Memorial for Girls school
Ikeja Lagos, Nigeria

Art education influences society by changing opinions, instilling values and translating experiences across space and time. It affects the fundamental sense of self. Art education has a great impact on the society, in the area of music, dance, theatre and visual art.
Soremekun Emmanuel Olumide
Visual Art Teachers Association of Nigeria (VATAN)
Nigeria

Art education lays the foundation for the formation of the minds of the society. This starts from what is been thought in our schools from the early childhood to the disciplines we have in our tertiary institutions. Most disciplines requires Art directly or indirectly. From Architecture to fashion, graphics, stage design for drama, to house hold items, ceramics, interior, exterior Deco, automobile industry, industrial design just to mention but a few. The aspect of tourism and hospitality inclusive. Beautification of our environment. Therapeutic functions of arts too.
Olufemi Ogunseye
Day Waterman College Abeokuta
Abeokuta Nigeria

It bring relaxation and meaning to the people seeing it also make Pepe develop heart for creating things out of nothing. Most of the best minds in the world are creativity inclined. It also help kids in area of developing their minds as they grow up
Olatunji olawale
Diamonds international school
Lagos Nigeria

Communication, signs and symbols, beatification, visual representation of human thought and feelings, deity of worship, means of recording events, teaching aids/instructional materials ,means of illustrating objects etc. "Every child is an ARTIST, but the problem is how to develop it when he grows" (Pablo Picasso). In this case, ART should be made very important like English language and Mathematics in our society, because it aids other subjects to function. For example, Engineers can,t manufacture without drawing first. ART should be placed in the first position. A lot of people don't speak English but they can’t do without ART. Even GOD himself is an ARTIST. In the Holy Bible, there are proofs that GOD made man from clay. The Holy Quran (15 V 26) also said "And indeed, we created man from sounding clay of altered black smooth mud”. There are lots of chapters that proved this in the Holy Quran. Making objects with clay is Sculpture, which is an aspect of ART. Our ALMIGHTY GOD, who made use of clay in the creation of human beings tells that GOD himself is an ARTIST. So, if GOD is also an ARTIST, why should ART not come before others, if GOD was before everyone and everything?
Al-maroof Olusegun Nuh
Oxbridge Tutorial College
Lagos,Nigeria

It is primarily a bank of knowledge concerning the human society and its existence. Art Education keeps sustaining and servicing the humanity. Art Education is a means of educating the posterity. Without art education the future generations will hardly understand their cultural background in terms of all aspects of human endeavors.
Bello Usman Amsami
Universitiy of Maiduguri
Maiduguri, Nigeria

Art broadens the reasoning capacity of individuals (i.e they can think outside the box).
It serves as sure means of generating income.
It is a means of documenting the customs and traditions of a people.
It is a medium for improving environmental aesthetics.
It serves as a major medium of universal communication.
Learning is reinforced through art.
Abell Kennedy Modupe
Louisville Girls High School
Ijebu Ode, Nigeria


Art exhibition primarily provides knowledge in terms of teaching principles and methodologies to specialist in studio courses. To enable them to be able to teach properly. It provides psychology of understanding children at various stages. It generally empower the student teacher to acquire skills of the practice and imparting art courses at all levels of learning.
Art Education is an epitome of applied and fine art. Applied art helps the booming of industries while fine art support sustenance of the culture of the profession.
Bello Usman Amsami
University of Maiduguri
Maiduguri, Nigeria.


Art as Bridge between the Society and their Culture is embedded with numerous values among others it educates the Society in totality on their Cultural embodiments and norms. It is also an avenue for creative adventures, unfortunately it is having a regrettable neglect. Effort should be intensified on Renaissance of Art education in our Schools and Society.
Agboola Musiliu Goriola Mr.
Lagos State Ministry of Education, District V Lagos.
Lagos Nigeria

Its enlighten the public on current issues It tells us more about the culture and African heritage It is also used as instrument to correct the hills of the society
Oluwaseun Isaac Abati
Kenyatta University
Kenya


To intensify cultural diversity.
Art is the key to future.
Alfonso Haodom
Kuisebmond Primary School
Walvis Bay, Namibia

There is no doubt that art has been a fabric of the society since the period of creation. From the foregoing, this makes for an easy allusion to the fact that the mode or system of knowledge transfer of art, as we know it as Art Education today, is an inseparable part of our existence. If that further transcends to the value of that branch of human endeavor, then the values of Art Education are explicit in the following; 1. It is an avenue to pave the way for the transmission of knowledge about societal factors to sustain life and confront fundamental threats to existence. 2. It is an Ingredients of intervention to societal challenges. 3. A medium through which the development of the society can be fostered in terms of the sustainability of culture and enhancement of the quest for technological growth.
YUSUF A. AbdulRasaq
Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Federal College of Education, Zaria.
Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Art Education promote our rich cultural Heritage through the display of culture in Drama, Engaging in cultural music and production of Artworks for cultural revival. It develops the child vocationally, Socially, Physically and mentally through various activities in Drama, Fine Art and Music. The subject equips young Nigerian with manipulative skills which would make them job creator and self-reliant, students may pick a profession in fine Arts and become a professional Painter, Graphic Designer or a craftsman producing weaving. Dyeing cloths or a photographer. They may also become professional Musicians, Practicing Dramatists or Vistual Artists.
Suluka Abedeen Babatunde
Michael Otedola College of Primary Education. Noforija Epe. Lagos.
Lagos. Nigeria


I've always define Arts as father of all subjects. It cuts across all works of life. It enhances and supports child education. No technology or engineering can do without Art. They passed through Art (Artists) table before implementation. All human wear clothes, for social or covering nudity. Our environments all define Art: road signs, bill boards, van advert... The list is no doubt long. The value and importance of Art in the society cannot be over emphasis as subject that cannot be done with. We should gallantly stand out to defend the posterity of Art from extinction.
Ayeni Pius Oluwagbotemi
RACY & STURDY COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOY
LAGOS, NIGERIA

The value and importance of art education cannot be over emphasized. They are many. This is because art encompass the day to day of human existence and activities.
Art education is a must for all so as to ensure even development of man's body, spirit and soul.
Adewunmi A. Samuel
University of Ado-Ekiti
Lagos, Nigeria.


Aesthetic impact, comprehensive and details to work of art in dimension / proportion. Classical and professional influence in working space. It enhances the social influence in visual and performing art.
Oluseyi OYENUKAN
Auchi polytechnic and University of Lagos, Akoka.
Lagos, Nigeria.

Art appreciation dissemination
Peter Ighodaro
Yaba college of Technology
Lagos Nigeria

For personal development and the growth of the society. It's all about making the world (starting from our immediate communities) a better place to live for our generation and generation next.
Babasehinde Ademuleya
Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife
Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Why is patronage for art seriously dwindling? Teaching of art is not made to be effective from elementary school stage.
Idowu Olatunji
Tai Solarin University of Education
Ijagun, Ijebu Ode


Art Education fosters creativity in the child. It also enhances the child's understanding and interaction with his environment through observation and exploration. It develops the emotional strength of the child when he has concentrate on a project and finish it and when he has to make multiple adjustment on a project just to make sure he comes up with his best. The benefits are too numerous for the space provided.
However, what we teach in Nigerian curriculum is more of art theory. There's very little time for students to practicalize what they are taught in the theory class. There are too much theory, more especially the history topics. If the curriculum implementer are involved in planning the curriculum, I think the case may be different.
Onyekachi Anthony Nze
FUTO International School
Owerri, Nigeria

The importance of art can't be overemphasis, Arts are tools for social and economic well-being of the society.
Yaqub Kayode luqman
Ahmadu Bello University, zaria
Abuja, Nigeria

Art provides the children with balanced education. Art is a veritable tool to harness creativity of a child. Creativity is very important in our world today and art provide a platform for a child to develop the skill. It fuels imagination and helps to produce dynamic and talented individuals our economy needs.
The importance of Art to children’s educational development is briefly highlighted below:
       I.            Brain research confirms that Arts education strengthens student problem-solving and critical thinking skills, adding to overall academic achievement, school success, and preparation for the work world.
    II.             Art classes provide students a chance to develop cognitive and creative skills, and to develop their imaginations.
 III.            The arts teach our students to be more tolerant and open through multicultural and historical perspectives and through their involvement in the creative process itself.
 IV.            Art is another way of thinking and using the brain. It contributes to developing creativity - not just the crayon and paper type of art - but it transfers to other subjects in solving problems and using higher critical thinking skills. It is also building motor skills and social skills.
    V.            Stimulates and develops the imagination and critical thinking, and refines cognitive and creative skills.
 VI.            Has a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has proven to help level the "learning field" across socio-economic boundaries.
VII.            Strengthens problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, adding to overall academic achievement and school success.
VIII.            Develops a sense of craftsmanship, quality task performance, and goal-setting—skills needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
 IX.            Teaches children life skills such as developing an informed perception; articulating a vision; learning to solve problems and make decisions; building self-confidence and self-discipline; developing the ability to imagine what might be; and accepting responsibility to complete tasks from start to finish.
    X.            Nurtures important values, including team-building skills; respecting alternative viewpoints; and appreciating and being aware of different cultures and traditions.
 XI.            It's been proven that early exposure to visual art, music, or drama promotes activity in the brain.
XII.            Art helps children understand other subjects much more clearly—from math and science, to language arts and geography.
XIII.            Art nurtures inventiveness as it engages children in a process that aids in the development of self-esteem, self-discipline, cooperation, and self-motivation.
XIV.            Participating in art activities helps children to gain the tools necessary for understanding human experience, adapting to and respecting others' ways of working and thinking, developing creative problem-solving skills, and communicating thoughts and ideas in a variety of ways.

Olusegun Adeniyi
Caleb British International School
Lagos, Nigeria