Why we are partnering with China on digital classrooms- Obaseki
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Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki on Wednesday said the state is now ready to partner with China to promote digital learning, as part of plans to catch up with global community.
He disclosed that Edo State is ready to embrace digital learning having already started a pilot project for about 50,000 children in 300 schools, adding that “ as at today we are training about 5,000 teachers for the next roll out for about 200,000 children in about 600 schools”
Obaseki disclosed this at the Presidential Villa, on Wednesday while speaking with State House Correspondents after attending the a meeting with the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo.
The Stats is partnering with the Chinese Digital Technology giant, NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited that is promoting Smart Classrooms and Digital Education initiative in Nigeria
The program is designed to facilitate investment in the ICT industry by building IT Incubators, Digital Studios and Software Outsourcing and Training Hubs, towards to the creation of new jobs in the area of Technology and Innovation.
Acting President Osinbajo had flagged off the project on Tuesday to serve as a model technology-based classroom.
Governor Obaseki had witnessed the presentation by the Chinese firm on how Nigeria can expand and ensure the spread of digital literacy, because the world today has gone digital.
According to Obaseki, “It is about promoting digital literacy in Nigeria. Educational system is now based on technology, this company has done quite a lot of work in several countries in the world where they have deployed technology to develop teaching methods, to train teachers and contents to assist children to learn.”
“So, the whole idea is to see how as a country we can catch up with the rest of the world by deploying technology in learning and helping our children to catch up educationally.”
“Certainly in Edo State, we are ready to embrace them. We have started a pilot for about 50,000 children in 300 schools and as at today we are training about 5,000 teachers for the next roll out for about 200,000 children in about 600 schools.
“The world today has gone digital and with the technology we have in Edo State, we can feel when the teacher is in class because the teacher must synchronized the tablets. We can tell when a child is in school because the teacher has to take attendance digitally.
“The teacher is now assisted in preparing lessons notes and delivering the contents in class. Technology has taken over education and that is where we are going as a state and I believe that is where we are going as a country,” he said.
Tony Ailemen, Abuja.