FG Partners Chinese Firm on Smart Classrooms, Digital Education
Ugo Aliogo
The federal Government has commenced a process for the implementation of a partnership strategy that will help establish digital education institute and provision of smart learning classrooms across the country.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, disclosed this in a statement released by her media assistant, Desmond Utomwen in Abuja recently.
According to the Presidential Aide, the Smart Classrooms and Digital Education initiative, which will be implemented in partnership with a Chinese Digital Technology giant, NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited is in line with the commitment of the government to continue to provide quality education to Nigerian children as stipulated in Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
It is also designed to facilitate investment in the ICT industry by building IT Incubators, Digital Studios and Software Outsourcing and Training Hubs, towards to the creation of new jobs in the area of Technology and Innovation.
Orelope-Adefulire noted that in the pilot phase of the project, her office is collaborating with NetDragon to provide a smart classroom to the Pilot Science Nursery/Primary School in the Federal Capital Territory.
The project, which was officially launched last Tuesday by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN will serve as a model technology-based classroom.
“The Initiative of Digital Education in Africa otherwise known as “IDEA” was initiated by the Nigerian Government and NetDragon through the Public Private Partnership and direct Foreign Investment that will facilitate the setting up the National Education Resource Public Service Platform, National Education Community Network Platform, National Digital Talent Training Platform, and National Future Education Experience Centre,” Orelepe-Adefulire stated.
The SSAP-SDGs added that with the initiative, the government aims to provide high-quality digital education resources and a new teaching and collaboration model for basic education in Nigeria, thereby promoting education equity and improving teaching quality.
In terms of lifelong education, the Talent Training Platform will carry out lifelong skills training and intelligent management of talents in Nigeria to help Nigeria achieve talent upgrading and optimal allocation of social resources.
“With the initiative, our aim is to use technology to drive the realisation of the SDGs 4, 8 and 9 regarding Quality Education, Economic Growth as well as Industry & Innovation, thereby creating jobs through the E-Learning Platforms, Educational Software and Apps as well as other innovations. By 2030, we want to ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development,” Orelope-Adefulire stated.
The initiative, according to the SSAP-SDGs, will also facilitate and promote investment in the ICT industry by building IT Incubators, Digital Studios and Software Outsourcing and Training Hubs, towards to the creation of new jobs in the area of Technology and Innovation.
It is also expected that as part of the former launch, an Agreement of Cooperation (AoC) will be signed between the Federal Government and NetDragon, represented by its chairman, Dejian LIU.
