In line with the present administration’s agenda on technology innovation, the Federal Government is committed to deploying digital technology in scaling-up training of teachers, according to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
Prof. Osinbajo stated this today when he received on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, the management of NetDragon Websoft Company, a Chinese-based digital technology company led by its Chairman, Mr Dejian Liu and the Vice Chairman, Dr. Simon Leung.
He said the Federal Government’s technology policy was already on course and noted that collaborations with the private sector would be appreciated especially in scaling up teacher training, and developing a policy that would last for a long period.
According to the Acting President, “some of the estimates show us that we need to educate from scratch, millions a year depending on how we look at the problem.”
He told the team: “For us, the timing is very important, we need to do a lot more, like sit with you and look at the challenges, especially how to train teachers on a huge scale. When you talk of the sustainability of the smart classroom, I think frankly, that our problem is to see how we need to train the teachers that will use all of these hardware and to what extent we can deploy digital platforms.”
The Acting President said the Federal Government would constitute a working group that would fine-tune the proposed partnership with the Chinese company for the deployment of its technology in promoting digital forms of learning and teaching in Nigeria’s education system.
Earlier in her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said the team was in Nigeria to introduce the company’s technology especially in the education sector.
On his part, the Vice Chairman of the company, Mr Simon Leung, in a short presentation to the Acting President, said the company was prepared to invest in the country especially in improving teaching and learning in Nigeria’s education sector.
Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, FCT Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Bello and other top government officials were at the meeting.
