Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills of Students’ through Project-based Instruction: A Mandate for Secondary Schools in Nigeria.

Abstract

The quest to help learners acquire critical thinking skills, because it is one of the sought-after skills by employers in the 21st century, is at the forefront of academic discourse. Therefore, this paper examined enhancing critical thinking skills in students: a mandate for secondary schools in Nigeria. This paper sought to examine ways by which secondary education in our country (Nigeria) can be restructured in a manner that critical thinking skills could be inculcated in young learners, to make them problem solvers, hence they become assets in society rather than liabilities to the Nigerian society. This paper in clear terms examined the concept of critical thinking, the importance of critical thinking to the nation, and Project-Based Instruction as a method of inculcating critical thinking skills in students specifically in secondary education. It was concluded that critical thinking skills are critical for personal success, national peace, progress, and development, it should be integrated at all levels of education, especially at the secondary level of education for the common good of all. It was recommended among others that teachers should adopt innovative and suitable methods of teaching such as project-based instruction that are consistent with the development of critical thinking skills in students.