Minister Restates Commitment to ICT-enhanced Education

Uchechukwu Nnaike

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu has expressed the hope of seeing the sector embrace the use of technologies to meet the human resource requirements of the nation for attaining sustainable socio-economic development, global competitiveness, as well as the individual’s ability to survive in the contemporary society.

The minister made this known at the official opening and inauguration of UNITeS Cisco Internet of Things (IoT) Innovation Centre at Queen’s College, Lagos. The event also witnessed the inauguration of IoT Students’ Ambassadors.

Adamu, who was represented by the Director of ICT in the Federal Ministry of Education, Ifegwu Orji, noted that qualitative education in the modern world is intrinsically tied to the development and deployment of ICT in education.

He said ICT as an enhancer of education has transformed education delivery from being the transmission of information by the teacher as the custodian of knowledge to the learner as the receiver of the knowledge transmitted and the school from being a teacher-centred agency.

“Today, teachers are seen as facilitators or coaches of learning or in some cases as change agents or activators and the student as an active partner in learning. The school also has become an open space to learners who initiate and acquire their own learning and expand their knowledge through interaction among themselves and with the teachers. This kind of interaction is made easier by the IoT.”

According to Adamu, to demonstrate the ministry’s commitment towards the delivery of qualitative education with the resultant production of the requisite manpower that can survive in the modern society, contribute to sustainable national development and compete globally, it approved the establishment of the Cisco UNITeS IoT innovation centres in six federal unity colleges in the six geo-political zones for the 2017/2018 academic session.

He said the ministry has also approved the establishment of the Cisco Network Academy in all unity colleges under Cisco’s corporate social responsibility in the education sector and other Cisco long-term CSR programmes.

He therefore urged all stakeholders in the sector to partner the government in order to salvage the education system of the country towards the attainment of sustainable development.

In his remarks, Director, Basic and Secondary Education in the ministry, Alhaji Mohammed Karage commended the students’ ambassadors for showing a positive attitude towards IT to earn them the position.

He urged them to make good use of the knowledge they will acquire at the centre and to enhance their skills as they grow older so as to achieve greatness and be self-sufficient and eventual employers of labour.

While highlighting the objectives of the IoT innovation centre, Mr. Toyin Olatayo said it helps to create technology solutions to unlock opportunities at a speed of rapid prototyping; showcase what is possible with digital transformation and IoT; to raise a new generation of technology creators who will become global problem solvers and job creators.

Others are to serve as a centre for research and development to profound solutions to developmental problems; to transform schools to a smart school for teaching and learning; to help local and global organisations improve business outcomes by making the most of smart data and digitisation; and to create new digital business opportunities using innovation and technology.