Philosophy of Education and National Development: A Philosophical Appraisal

Education, no doubt, is the key to socio-economic and political development of any nation. This is based on the philosophy of the nation’s education system, which encapsulates her needs, goals, objectives and aspirations. This paper observes that Nigeria has no Philosophy of Education she could call her own because of the eclectic nature of the philosophical ideas expressed in her National Policy on Education. It also observes that some aspects of education were not provided for in the nation’s educational Magna Carta of 2004, and further highlights some of the impacts of Philosophy of Education on national development. The paper therefore calls for remedial steps to be taken to redress the inconsistencies and contradictions that hinder smooth and rapid national development. Key words: philosophy of education, national development, long-life education.