Public Issues Education and Extension Practice in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper advocates that public issues education (PIE) and conflictmanagement are new societal concerns extension professionals inNigeria should tackle. The paper believes that incorporating PIE intopolicy making will allow communities in Nigeria to use public-issueconflicts as an opportunity to collaboratively explore topics, betterunderstand the issues, and consider alternative solutions. The paperprovides an overview of the concept of PIE, the process of public policyeducation and how PIE helps communities involved in public-issuedisputes to reach agreements. Furthermore, the paper identifies (1) rolesextension professionals in Nigeria should play in PIE; (2) principles theyshould observe to successfully impart policy education; (3) ways forevaluating the success of PIE; and (4) institutional requirements forinvolvement of extension professionals in PIE in Nigeria. The paperconcludes that involvement of extension professionals in PIE can only bepossible when the institutional environment of extension agencies in thecountry gives it a worthy support. The extension professionals also willrequire training on the principles and process of PIE and the ability topractically apply skills so acquired for them to effectively impart publicpolicy education.