PHYSICS EDUCATION: A BEDROCK FOR ACHIEVING SECURITY AND SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Abstract

Nigeria is currently experiencing security challenges ranging from religious, ethnic/communal, student-based conflicts, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, among others, which have become problems that constitute threats to coexistence of its citizens such as families, communities, organizations and to the survival of its democratic political system. It appears that the adhoc measures put in place by the government to solve the problem of insecurity in Nigeria have not been yielding the needed results. This could be due to the fact that young people and some of the political and religious leaders have been nurtured in some attitudes that cannot be easily changed. It is therefore, meaningless to talk of development in the absence of national security.  It is against this background that the present paper looked at physics education as a bedrock for achieving security and sustainable development. Physics education, if well utilized through its ethics has potential to proffer solution to the security challenges in Nigeria. Insecurity in any nation can create some negative consequences to national development. In a state of insecurity, national development would be difficult to achieve. Therefore, the paper provided an overview of some concepts such as education, science education with cognizance in physics, national development and national security. The paper also highlighted the interdependent of science education, security and national development. In addition, the paper discussed some of the causes of insecurity in Nigeria and the place of physics education for national development. On the basis of this, it was recommended among others that there should be a reform of physics education curriculum at all levels of education with a view to providing its recipients broad based education in the development of the mind.

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