The lack of adequate computer facilities in public schools has been described as one of the major reasons for the low level of internet and technology penetration among Nigerian school children.
This assertion was made by the Zonal Coordinator for Community Service in Rotary International District 9125 Nigeria, Dr Segun Makanjuola, who said that the digital divide has greatly affected how Nigerian secondary school students compete with their contemporaries across the world.
Makanjuola stated this during a training on “Creating Opportunities Through Digital Inclusion” held at the St. Theresa College, Ibadan, the Oyo State, recently. The training which held in commemoration of the Africa Code Week was organised by SAP Africa and Coderina in conjunction with Rotary International District 9125.
The “train-the-trainer” training had in attendance over 80 teachers spread across public schools in the state.
Makanjuola said the understanding and practice of computer coding by the teachers and students will help Oyo State rank better among other states in the level of internet and technology penetration.
While noting that some private schools have incorporated coding into the curriculum, Makanjuola urged the state ministry of education to provide an enabling environment for students to practice what they learn, and ultimately bring their knowledge in computer coding to perfection.
He added that there is the need to “provide computers for the children as it is done in other countries.”
He said: “All over the world now, education is dynamic. We see that some private schools are already doing coding, but we are doing this training for the public schools teachers, so that they will be able to enlighten our children on how to apply new technologies and ideas to improve the education standard.
“Most of the people we are seeing here are new recruits into the state government civil service and this is what the government is supposed to be doing but we’re already doing that to complement them and even to open their eyes to vacuum that is yet to be filled.
“We are proud to have impacted all these lives and it’s going to cascade to all those students and even to their colleagues in other schools. That is why we have called it train the trainer training.
“Our expectation with this training is to improve the knowledge of our students in public secondary schools and translate to getting better grades and to enable them compete with their colleagues all over the world.
“What we want for them is that, if they’re moving from secondary school to the university with this kind of knowledge, they will be better than somebody who doesn’t have this kind of knowledge. The implication is that it will place Oyo State above its peers within and outside the country, and the children will be better leaders in the future.
“Penetration of internet and technology in public schools in Nigeria is very low. Most private schools are doing well, but they are not doing so well in public schools. That is one of the reasons we have brought this so that we can enhance the technological and internet knowledge for the students. So we are looking at the possibility of our children, competing with their contemporaries all over the world in the future.”
and then