Experts Seek Increased Access to Education for Disadvantaged Children Via Technology

Educational practitioners, including teachers, have been urged to use technology to improve access to learning among disadvantaged children, including those with disabilities.

This was the position of concerned stakeholders during the July edition of EdTech Mondays, an initiative of the Mastercard Foundation, in partnership with Co-Creation Hub.

A UNESCO report indicates that Nigeria is still home to about 20 million out-of-school children, with persons with disabilities occupying a sizeable percentage. 

With the growing interest in the adoption of technology in Nigeria’s education sector, the use of technology for teaching and learning has proven to be an enabler of equitable education for persons with disabilities, learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, learners living in rural locations, and women and girls of marginalised groups.

Speaking during the session titled ‘Technology as an enabler for equity and inclusion in education’, the Assistant Education Officer, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Helen Akintemi, stated that the organisation sees technology as a veritable tool to drive inclusion in education among refugees.

Akintemi stated that UNHCR, as a non-governmental organisation, has been at the forefront of safeguarding the education rights and well-being of refugees and internally displaced people in Nigeria through technology deployment.

While appreciating the role of partnership in delivering education to children with disabilities, she noted that government support alongside other partners has been instrumental in successfully implementing digital projects among refugees.

The founder of Keeping it Real Foundation, Bitebo Gogo, explained that the organisation is more concerned about catering to the educational welfare of the children in this category, hence the reason for deploying technology to ensure access.

Gogo noted that the donation of books by the organisation has inspired change and confidence among children in low-income communities and disabled kids.

He said that the foundation is already making a significant impact in the lives of children with disabilities by offering technology-driven learning platforms that would aid their learning.

Highlighting some of the challenges faced in deploying technology for children with disabilities, he urged stakeholders to work more in improving advocacy against stereotypes while also solving the problem of internet connectivity and power plaguing the country.

Speaking at the panel session, Kayode Alabi, the founder of Kayode Alabi Leadership and Career Initiative, noted that the organisation has been leveraging technology to enhance learning among children with disabilities and their teachers.

Alabi pointed out that the foundation has so far impacted over 6,500 children in underserved communities in Nigeria by helping them acquire 21st-century skills and other life skills. 

Also speaking, co-founder, Projects Enabled Africa, Ngozi Ukpai-Okoro, a visually impaired person, noted that the impact of technology cannot be over-emphasised given how much it has assisted her to access good education. Ukpai-Okoro stated that some of the challenges she faced while learning at an early age had been resolved with technology.