The Federal Government has directed the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) to ensure that robotics and artificial intelligence is incorporated into the basic education curriculum in the country.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Andrew David Adejo, spoke during a robotics project presentation by the Federal Government Girls College Sagamu, Ogun State at the Federal Ministry of Education on Tuesday.
The Director and Principal of FGGC, Sagamu, Dr. Muyibat Adenike Olodo, led the College’s robotics team consisting of some students and members of staff who are the coaches to present an innovation of the College, a humanoid, named Okikiola Sagamu to the Permanent Secretary.
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) built by the students could walk around, recognise faces, shake hands and exchange pleasantries among others.
Permanent Secretary, Andrew Adejo who was impressed by the innovation of the students, said he was not surprised because the Federal Government Colleges (Unity Schools) remain the best in Nigeria.
He, however, noted that as a part initiative to “catch them young”, NERDC should work to integrate coding, robotics, and AI into the basic education curriculum.
Adejo also charged the students and unity schools to move further by designing AI that could take orders and serve food in restaurants, assuring them that government would be ready to support such innovation.
Earlier, the Director and Principal of FGGC, Sagamu, Dr. Muyibat Adenike Olodo, said efforts at exposing the students and their coaches to the current trend in the world of technology, that is, coding, AI, machine learning and robotics were sowing good seeds in Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs).
She commended the founder of Coderina Education and Technology Foundation, Mr Olajide Ademola Ajayi for his mentorship and technical assistance to the team.
One of the students that participated in the Robotic project, Esther Ogunnaike, said they were inspired by the Principal of the College, Dr Olodo, who also ensured that a robotics centre was established in the school last year before the commencement of the project.
“It was actually the vision of our Principal. She established a robotics centre for this very project. She wanted us to build a robot that will be able to recognize faces, move its neck, and eyes, pick up objects we need to use in the classroom and so on. We are happy because we should be able to move with the world. The world is moving with technological advancement, so, Nigeria cannot be left behind,” she said.
She called on the Federal Government to support innovation in schools, saying with more resources the team would be able to produce a better version than what Okikiola Sagamu that was presented to the ministry.
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