Bukola Olatunji
20 October 2009
Abuja — The private sector has been called upon to support the federal government's efforts targeted at fast-tracking the development and deployment of ICT in education in the country.
Minister of State for Education, Hajiya Aishatu Jubril Dukku, made the call in her keynote address at a conference, with the theme, 'Transforming Schools Through Digital Education Culture', organised by SchoolNet Nigeria, in association with Intel and Microsoft Nigeria, in Abuja, recently.
Some of government's efforts, according to her, include:
- Compulsory computer education for all levels of education in the country, with the curricula and examination syllabi for Computer Studies available for Basic and Post-Basic Education.
- Application of ICT to distance education and open Learning through the establishment of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)
- Use of radio for literacy project
- Introduction of Computer Acquisition Scheme for staff at all levels of education at preferential rates under a subsidised consumer finance arrangement.
- Implementation of the Converged Examination Management Technology Platform (CEMTP) targeted at eliminating examination malpractice, reducing costs of examination, among others, as well as:
- Establishment of the Converged Education Sector Database for the attainment of data integrity and ease of accessibility of data for informed decision-making.
The Minister expressed regret that despite these efforts, the sector was still plagued with low ICT capacity, low level of infrastructural development and poor funding due to other pressing developmental needs of the country. The development and deployment of ICT in education must therefore be the responsibility of all, hence the call for stronger partnerships for ICT across all sectors - government, civil society, the private sector and development agencies. She thanked SchoolNet Nigeria for its efforts in capacity-building for teachers of Federal Unity Colleges on the use of ICT for teaching and learning.
Setting the tone for the discussions, National Coordinator of SchoolNet Nigeria, Mr. Olaolu Sasore called on participants to be mindful of the need to address the big picture: which is: "Our need to nurture a new generation of digitally literate, high performing, highly skilled, highly talented, innovative and critically thinking human capital."
He drew attention to a West African Examinations Council (WAEC) publication which showed that between 2003 and this year, the percentage of candidates who passed the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) with Maths, English Language and three other subject was 28.68, 29.59, 25.63, 26.34, 25.54, 23.75 and 25.99 respectively.
Sasore said his organisation has vast experience of working with both the public and private sectors to ensure effective deployment and use of communication technologies for teaching, learning and administration in Nigeria. It has active projects in 27 of the 36 states in the country to show for this.
He used the forum to present his organisation's Interactive Learning Network (ILN), among other packages, which is a sustainable learning platform through which quality learning content, programmes and data can be accessed, affordably, at all levels in Nigeria.
In his paper titled, 'Intel World Ahead Program: A Holistic Approach to ICT in Education', Corporate Affairs Manager, Nigeria and West African Sub-Region, Mr. Bunmi Ekundare said the four pillars of the programme are, Accessibility, Connectivity, Education and Content.
Like Sasore, Ekundare stressed the need for greater deployment of ICT in education in country, by drawing attention to the fact that Nigeria, with a population of 140 million, 23 million of them aged 12 and below, as well as a population growth/inflation rate estimated at 4.9 per cent this year; records only 8 per cent of technology adoption in education. It also has a Personal Computer/Internet penetration of only 1.8 per cent, a teacher PC ratio of 30:1 and 60:1 for the general population.
He said there was need for a holistic approach to make impact. Dwelling on the first of the four pillars, Accessibility, Ekundare said, Intel launched the Computer for All Nigerians Initiative (CANi) in 2007, through which it has deployed no fewer than 60Ku of Classmate PCs in schools. On connectivity, the company has also partnered with government to deploy broad band internet connectivity to about 1, 500 schools. On Education, through Intel Teach, no fewer than 60, 000 teachers have been trained, in addition to the Intel Teach pre-service partnership with the USAID. The goal is to teach 150, 000 and provide them with computers in three years.
On Content, the company has also partnered with Shell and the Education Trust Fund (ETF) on its Skoool programme.
Microsoft Nigeria's Education and Public Sector Manager, Mr. Musa Ali-Baba spoke on 'ICT in Education: Diversity and Potential. He drew attention to the educational reform shift from the current teacher-centred method of 'the sage on stage', to the learner-centred, where the teacher is the 'Guide on the side'.
According to him, where technology has the largest impact is that it is the catalyst for bringing educational reform. Professional development and pre-service training, he added, are critical for the successful implementation of an ICT in Education Strategic Plan.
Ali-Baba then presented a modernised schooling technology roadmap which outlined a framework that schools or Ministries of Education might find useful for identifying their individual ICT in education growth pathways towards a modernised schooling system.
Content Digital Solutions Limited (CDSL) was also on hand to unveil its flagship digital learning solution, the GoVirtual Solution and several digital learning platforms using the GoVirtual technology.
Head of Projects/Product Development Mr. Olayinka Aina said these allow institutions of learning to extend their programmes in distance learning, certification training and workplace training. According to him, "The fresh, simple and intuitive functionalities of CDSL GoVirtual will enable institutions and professional bodies to successfully deliver programmes that assure improved academic achievement and increased student enrolment."
The solution helps learning institutions to boosts graduate recruitment, student retention and greater workforce achievement. Following fruitful talks with the National Universities Commission (NUC), Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) and professional bodies across the country, Aina said, CDSL plans to release three learning platform powered by the GoVirtual Technology: The UniVirtual, ProVirtual, Virtual Education Platform.
The conference attracted participants from departments of teacher education in higher institutions, State and Federal Ministries of Education, the Federal Capital Territory Administration and private ICT companies.
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