Primary

By Leo Igwe

Philosophy for Children (P4C) is an educational movement that fosters critical thinking and inquiry-based learning in schools. This educational approach is provided in the National Policy on Education. For instance, on page 10, it states that primary education aims to inculcate scientific and critical thinking skills. While subjects and programs that encourage scientific thinking exist, there is no subject that teaches children to think critically or reason philosophically. This shortfall needs to be addressed. This educational lacuna needs to be filled. In this piece, I argue for the establishment of philosophy clubs in schools.

In primary and secondary institutions, students learn integrated science, physics, chemistry, and biology. Students belong to science, robotics, or jet clubs. Schools have science and computer laboratories. These facilities help to deepen the knowledge and understanding of science and technology. Unfortunately, no philosophy or critical thinking clubs exist. Schools have no thought or philosophical laboratories; there are no facilities specifically devoted to critical, creative, and reflective thinking.  Philosophy clubs have become a pedagogical necessity in basic educational institutions because philosophy for children is much more than a subject. It is a discipline that can radically transform the school system and enrich the science of teaching and learning. 

As a subject, P4C fosters independent thinking and inquiry in children. Operationalized as questionstorm and diverstorm, philosophy for children encourages students to learn through questioning and out-of-the-box thinking, using exercises and modules tailored to these goals. Simply put, students are taught to ask questions and reason together. In this case, P4C is taught like agriculture, mathematics, verbal reasoning, and other subjects. Lessons are developed to measure students’ ability to reason philosophically and demonstrate intelligence through critical and divergent thinking. In addition, philosophy for children can apply to other subjects; it is a pedagogical approach to other fields of knowledge. In schools, learning is teacher-centric. Education is teacher-dominated. Students are largely passive. 

Teachers are the know-it-alls, and they dump knowledge on students who are the know-nothings. Students learn by rote and memorization of whatever they have been taught. This learning culture denies students opportunities to participate and contribute to the process of dispensing and acquiring knowledge. Schools offer many subjects, and the time allotted to teaching a subject is short and is getting shorter. To further philosophy for children, school authorities should facilitate the formation of philosophy clubs. 

The clubs will offer students more opportunities to think, more spaces to deepen their understanding of P4C and sharpen their critical and creative thinking abilities. The Critical Thinking Social Empowerment Foundation is committed to supporting and mentoring interested schools. It will help schools establish philosophy clubs and societies. The foundation will provide schools with trained facilitators; it will supply P4C books, charts, and other learning materials to interested institutions. 

The foundation looks forward the school that would make history as the first to start a P4C club.

Leo Igwe directs Critical Thinking Social Empowerment Foundation and facilitates the teaching of philosophy for children in schools