Expert Wants Government to Subsidise Solar Equipment to Boost Digital Learning

 Uchechukwu Nnaike

Worried about the unstable power supply in the country, the Chief Executive Officer, Zuma Marketing Limited, Mr. Okechukwu Ozoemelam, has appealed to the government to subsidise solar equipment to support the transition to e-learning, which requires constant power supply.

He said the government should also give grants or waivers to providers or distributors of modern teaching aids and other e-learning equipment to make them affordable for schools and other educational institutions.

Ozoemelam, who said this in a chat with journalists in Lagos, said adoption of digital learning is the only way Nigerian schools can avoid knowledge deficit among students, and be in line with 21st century learning.

According to him, Zuma Marketing Limited deals in audio-visual products and integration, modern teaching aids, and educational resources, and has provided thousands of clients with reliable and cost-efficient technology solutions for their collaboration, presentation and educational needs since 2012.

“Our mission is to digitize the learning environment in Africa by offering the best modern teaching and learning aids designed to help organisations achieve more,” he said.

Emphasising on the LEAD Interactive Display Board, he said it is designed to enhance and maximize the effectiveness of meetings, virtual learning and collaboration within a work environment.

He added that the company’s interactive board is unique, as it comes with STEM education resources which users can have a lifetime access for free. 

On the benefits of the interactive white board to students, teachers and schools, Ozoemelam said it makes learning easy for students because it comes with animated pictures, diagrams and speaker, to give students in-depth understanding of the subjects and topics being taught. 

“Because of the collaborative nature of the interactive white board, teachers engage students either by grouping them or individually, based on their learning capacity,” he added.

He said it also enhances students’ presentation skills and helps them to retain what they were taught.

For teachers, he said the deployment of interactive board affords them the opportunity to undergo training to meet up with 21st century learning. He said it also helps teachers to develop personal resources, and enables them to annotate on an existing file. He added that to the interactive board gives teachers control in the classroom and to carry all categories of learners along.

For schools, the CEO said interactive board helps them to produce world-class graduates; attract more students; boost the schools’ reputation locally and internationally; and helps schools to monitor the activities and performance of teachers.

He urged all school owners and prospective school proprietors to have a vision to produce quality graduates, which he said could be achieved with quality teachers and technology.