Stakeholders Push for Technology-driven Education System

Ugo Aliogo and Carol Oku
As part of efforts to improve the growth of the education sector in Nigeria, stakeholders have called for increased investments in technology to raise the standard of education and also tap into the opportunities in the sector.

Speaking at the Bridge’s social sector open house event organised in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Education and Ministry of Budget and Planning in Lagos recently, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Education, Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said that the state government’s desire to invest in technology would continue to increase because technology is a viable platform to reviving the growth of many social and economic indices.

He also stressed the need for government at all levels to actively invest in technology to drive national development, stating that the state government has recently launched its educational programme known as ‘CodeLagos’.
Bank-Olemoh explained that the initiative is targeted at equipping one million young people with coding skills and transforming the state into a major technology hub over the next decade.

“Twenty-three Bridge academies and 3,000 pupils will take part in the CodeLagos initiative. The selected Bridge schools will serve as training centers for the programme.”

In his remarks, the Executive Officer Bridge International, Jay Kimmelin, expressed satisfaction in working with the Lagos State Government on building capacity and capability in education and technology sectors.

He noted that in the 21st century, technology has become an enabler of better schooling and development across the globe, adding that it is exciting to see Nigeria at the forefront of that movement.

Kimmelin added that technology underpins the education provided by Bridge and it would play a pivotal role in empowering Nigerians over the next decade.

Bank-Olemoh added: “The state of Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has set target to push Lagos state from the fifth largest to the third largest economy in Africa and we will need a new generation of technology literate graduates to drive that forward.

The appetite for investment in technology must continue to increase as this has become the most viable way to feed the growth of many social and economic indices. As we seek to educate our burgeoning populations for the future, we are pleased to be partnering strategically with Bridge.”

Bridge has been able to leverage on technology to provide quality, low-cost education to over 7000 low-income families in 37 local communities in the country.
In the last eight years, the agency has been working in over 700 communities by leveraging on technology to deliver content to local teachers, while also empowering them to support their pupils to succeed.

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