CITAD Urges Nigeria’s Gov’t to Mainstream Digital Skills in to Schools’ Curriculum to Boost Digital Creativity and Innovation

 

INFOMEDIA – The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has urged gov’t at all level in Nigeria to mainstream digital skills into schools’ curriculum as part of the stipulated requirement for all students to graduates in order to boost digital creativity, innovation right from grassroot.

 

This is contained in a Communique issued at a One Day Webinar on Digital Transformation of Educational Sector In Nigeria organized by CITAD on Wednesday, 10 March 2021 and singed by Mal. Ali Sabo, the Centre’s Communication and Campaign Officer.

 

CITAD noted that the increasing migration of educational processes online and the imperative to produce a digitally competitive generations of Nigerians, there’s a dire need to surface ICTs policies which will serve as a roadmap for Digital Transformation of Educational Sector as well as becoming a key instrumentality for Students’ creativity and innovation in the country.

 

According to the Centre, the objective of organizing the webinar was to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to interrogate how ICTs are used in school both for learning and for running the schools, understand the challenges of preparing the upcoming generations and propose pathways for enhancing the deployment of technology to improve learning outcomes.

 

The webinar was chaired by Professor A. L Tukur, Vice Chancellor, Modibbo Adama University, Yola while the keynote address was delivered by Professor Garba Azare, the Executive Secretary of the National Teacher Institute on the theme ’ “Leading the Digital Revolution in Schools”. Two other papers were presented as follows:

 

1. Ms. Aissata Sow, Country Programs Lead, Nigeria & Digital Economy Lead, MasterCard Foundation on Supporting Creativity and Innovation in Schools: Preparing the next Digital Nitizens

 

2. Mr. Amos Emma, Chairman/Chief Software Architect for Programos Software Group on Promoting Creativity and Innovation among Schools Children.

 

Speaking during the webinar, some participants share their experiences “As the educational sector becomes more competitive, digital transformation is now becoming a necessary means of survival as this new digital world requires educators to adapt and adopt digital technologies, methodologies and mindsets”, it added that “Transforming the educational sector will help the students to compete globally with other students”.

 

The Federal Government has been urged the to mainstream innovation into school curriculum to foster better learning outcome.

 

This was contained in a communique issued on Thursday, from a webinar on the Digital Transformation of Educational Sector in Nigeria with the theme”Creativity and Innovation in the Deployment of ICTs in Schools to Prepare Digital Nigerians for the Digital Economy.”

 

According to the communique which was signed by the Communication and Campaigns Officer, CITAD, Ali Sabo, promoting creativity among the students/pupils will allow them discover new ideas and process their thoughts in a resourceful and imaginative way.

 

It pointed out that transforming the educational sector will help the students to compete globally with other students, adding that there is low political interest by some state governors in promoting digital access in schools.

 

It decried the fact that schools in Nigeria are not well equipped to adopt to the transformation agenda.

 

The Communique noted that as the educational sector becomes more competitive, digital transformation is now becoming a necessary means of survival as this new digital world requires educators to adapt and adopt digital technologies, methodologies and mindsets.

 

It stated,”The Federal government should mainstream innovation into school’s curriculum to foster better learning outcomes.

 

“Parents should encourage creativity in children by allowing them to share their creative work and showing appreciation to each child’s unique creative output.

 

“ICT policies should be developed at state levels to serve as a roadmap to actualize digital skills needs.

 

“Mobile network providers should support accessibility in schools by keying to universal service provision principles in addition to their statutory commitment to the Universal Service Provision fund (USPF).”

 

 

 

The communique stressed the need for a review of the present curriculum to further update more digital skills.

 

It urged the government both at state and national level to leverage on the capabilities of the present-day technology and continuously stay updated.

 

“Integrate ICT in teacher recruitment, deployment and retention and train those teachers on digital skills to impart knowledge to the wider students.

 

 

 

“There is need to enroll teachers and educationists in ICT skills training for them to understand the current practices in the education sector.

 

 

 

“Educators to guide children to interact using technology and highlight how this integration forms playful play structures for both the students and their peers.

 

“Parents and teachers to provide children with opportunities to express their creativity through color, music, dance etc,” it stated.

 

It further noted that before student’s/pupils learn to share content through Information and Communications Technology (ICT) platforms such as blogs, videos, and photos, they must first be exposed to creativity.

 

According to the communique, proper integration of technology in the learning environment gives children the opportunity to develop social interaction and collaboration.

 

It therefore stressed that if the schools can be digitally transformed, it help the students to be independent even after school because they can use the knowledge they get to empower themselves and others in the society.

 

The webinar was chaired by Professor A. L Tukur, Vice Chancellor, Modibbo Adama University.

 

Other discussants include Prof.Garba Azare, the Executive Secretary of the National Teacher Institute, Ms. Aissata Sow, Country Programs Lead, Nigeria & Digital Economy Lead, MasterCard Foundation, and Mr. Amos Emma, Chairman/Chief Software Architect for Programos Software Group, among others.

 

 

 

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CITAD presents prize to winners of its Secondary Schools quiz competition

 

 

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has presented prizes to the Secondary Schools that emerged as winners of its quiz competition.

 

The presentation of the award which took place at the Senior Secondary Schools Management Board (KSSSMB), had the winning secondary schools in attendance.

 

Daily Focus reports that in December last year, CITAD organized its 19th ICT Secondary Schools Quiz at Kano State University of Science and Technology Wudil with 26 participating secondary schools from Kano state.

 

At the event the Centre distributed computers, printers and other prizes to the winning secondary schools.

 

In his remark, the Executive Director of the Centre, represented by the Technical Officer, Engineer Kamilu Umar stated that the secondary schools that emerged as first, second and third positions, together with seven schools that showed an outstanding performance during the quiz would be given twenty thousand Naira each.

 

He added that in the categories of the students, three of them were awarded fifty thousand naira.

 

“Students in the 1st and 2nd positions would be given twenty thousand Naira each while the 3rd position students would go with ten thousand Naira”

 

 

In his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary Kano State Senior Secondary Schools Management Board, Dr. Bello Shehu who was represented by the Director Schools, Malam Ahmad Tijjani Idris said “computer knowledge has become a necessity in today’s world because you cannot do anything without it.

 

 

The students recieving thier prizes

He urged teachers and schools to adopt Information and Communications Technology in order not to be left behind.

 

The schools that won the first, second and third positions were GTC Ungogo, Maitama Sule Science College and GTC Kano respectively.