Stakeholders ask FG to invest in tech solutions for education

The federal government and other stakeholders have been advised to fastrack the adoption of education-technology (ed-tech) solutions for learning among students.

This was one of the takeaways at the August edition of ed-tech Mondays fireside chat, an event hosted by the Co-Creation Hub (CCHUB), an innovation centre applying social capital and technology for economic prosperity.

The event was hosted in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation’s Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in  information communication technology (ICT).

The edition of the initiative was themed “Bolstering growth for Nigeria’s Ed-Tech ecosystem”.

The event had in attendance education technology experts such as Ademola Adenubi, the founder of EDUTERMS, and Abdullahi Bature, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Schoola Limited.

Others are Fisayo Durojaiye, the founder of Ancestors Advisory Limited, and Omotayo Olorunfemi, a learning and development specialist.

Participants agreed that education remains one of the most powerful tools for lifting excluded children and adults out of poverty, noting that 20 million Nigerian children still need access to learning.

They said technology has, in recent years, proven to be an excellent enabler for inclusion and accessibility in education, accommodating various learners with different learning needs in Nigeria.

Speaking during a panel discussion, Adenubi said education technology solutions have done a lot in transforming the learning landscape in Nigeria.

He said this is evidenced in the idea that more students and teachers now have access to learning.

He urged the government at all levels to be more deliberate in providing the much-needed funds for ed-tech solution providers and formulate policy that encourages local content adoption.

On his part, Bature said the advent of artificial intelligence has given rise to the evolution of more ed-tech companies.

Bature said the intention of creating ed-tech solutions is geared towards providing quality learning and improving learning outcomes for students.

He noted that the solutions have been devised to address the challenges of obsolete curricula and the shortage of quality teachers.

Bature added that technology plays more significant roles in promoting equity in education, especially for people living in rural areas.