Self-help training for planning urban development: An innovation in on-the-job learning in Nigeria

Forced to be innovative, a short course conducted in Nigeria for urban planners produced good results, although the bulk of the direction and teaching was provided by government town planners with no previous teaching experience. A crucial factor appears to have been the course structure, which was not only based upon learning while performing a project, but also required repetition of the project tasks in two cycles. The learning was enhanced because the project was a piece of work from the current programme of the planning agency which operated the course. This effect, and the utility of the conclusions of the project work, are likely to contribute significantly to the institutional development of the planning agency. There are important implications for further training of this kind in Nigeria, implying that experienced trainers are less in need, that a group capable of conducting future short courses can be built of government planning officers, and that training should be conducted within operating institutions of government.