Post Covid-19: Experts urge Nigeria to adapt education policies to cope with technology integration

The need for education managers and policy implementers to adapt Nigeria’s education policies, curriculum to cope with technology integration and adoption to the post-Covid-19 realities has been described as catalyst for 21st century education in Nigeria.

This was the outcome of a two-day workshop for supply-side implementers of basic education in Lagos State, organised by Human Development Initiatives (HDI) in partnership with MacArthur Foundation.

James Fadokun, resource person from the National Institute of Education Planning and Administration (NIEPA), said there was need to leverage technology and partnership in delivering better education outcomes, especially at the basic education level.

“If we want to migrate online you need infrastructure; definitely that has implication for education budget,” Fadokun said, pointing out that technological tools can be deployed for remote monitoring, considering the current Covid-19 challenges.
Fadokun also said that connectivity was still one of the major challenges of technology integration and adoption in basic education.

According to him, open source applications like KoBo tool box, telegrams, limeSurvey, open data kit, trackers and other Apps could be of great use for proper monitoring without physical appearance.

Olufunso Owasanoye, executive director, HDI, said basic education was one of the greatest tools needed in tackling the problem of inequality in society.

“…with the unprecedented disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequent effect on our everyday life, it has become imperative to further support the handlers of basic education if we are to sustain the tempo in achieving quality basic education in a post-Covid Nigeria,”
Owasanoye said.

According to her, HDI envisions a society of empowered humans devoid of social and economic vulnerabilities. Hence, the partnership with MacArthur Foundation, to strengthen the delivery of quality basic education while ensuring that education funds count, not just in Lagos, but all over Nigeria.

Stephen Oyebade, Department of education management, University of Lagos, said there was a need to replan and bring education policies to paper. “Right now, the national policy on education is short of contents that relate to Covid-19 experiences and the challenges of the school system,” Oyebade said.