Experts Make Case for ICT in Schools’ Curriculum

Oluchi Chibuzor

Stakeholders in the education sector and strategists have called on the federal government to reposition the education curriculum towards ensuring that Information Communication Technology (ICT) creates wealth and promotes self-reliance.

Speaking at a youth leadership summit recently in Lagos tagged ‘Imaging the future’, the founder/ Lead Strategist, Eduxtra Solutions, Dr. Dolapo Tukuru, said the present education curriculum will not help Nigerian students for the future.
According to him, it is necessary to let students know the power of technology because most of the future professions are hinged on technology.

“We want to introduce technology to students so that they can start early to incorporate this new trend into their learning. Even if the school does not teach this trend, students can get the relevant information through the platform we create for them.
“We must remember that the world has become a global market, and we must make out time to produce students that can compete with other students from any place across the globe,” he said.

The Principal Facilitator, Invent Youth Leadership Initiative, Mr. Elijah Olupona, said the programme was targeted at preparing the youths and secondary school students on how they could be relevant in the future, and how they would become solution providers to future challenges.

“The summit has several secondary school students from all over Lagos State in attendance, and the project has been on since 2012. The project is a mentorship programme, which focuses on batting exchange, knowledge transfer and knowledge sharing.

He commended the Lagos State government, Sahara Foundation, and other organisations for their support.

“We want to expand this project beyond Lagos State. We need to support the poorest of the poor among students. In the next five to 10 years, we are seeing this project already saturating Nigeria and penetrating this continent, because Africa needs this project more. Africa needs leadership, the right set of individuals who would change the current status quo.”

The Tutor General, Education District VI, Mrs. Oyebisi Okelola, represented by Assistant Director of Education, Mrs. Roseline Shonibare advised students to embrace technology.

“It is actually targeted at preparing the students for the task which lies in the future, so as to make adequate preparation to match up with what the future holds for them. The summit opens the students up to the reality that would definitely come along with the future. It makes them know what is expected of them in the community in preparation for the future.”