Post Covid-19 reality: Organisation presents survey report to LASG

An Online Schools Discovery platform, SchoolsCompass has taken the initiative to ascertain the non-health impact of Covid-19 on Nigerian Schools, there by researched and presented their findings to the Lagos State Government harping on the need for schools to utilise technology in learning especially post COVID-19in order to remain relevant despite its effect personally and professionally, requiring new skills to function optimally in the interest of finding sustainable solutions in empowering learning institutions to be more impactful.

Receivingthe report titled, “Understanding the Stance of a Nigerian Parent in a typicalPost COVID-19 Learning Environment,” on behalf of the State Government in heroffice at the Secretariat, Alausa Ikeja on Friday, the Commissioner for Education, Folasade Adefisayodescribed the SchoolsCompass initiative as a laudable and complimentary one,stating that Education, being a critical success factor for any socio-economicdevelopment in any emerging economy requires all the technicalities, reportsand researches that allow for critical assessment to gauge and drive policiesin advancing education reforms.

Adefisayoalso pointed out that the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu (BOS) EducationTransformation plan was an integration of several action initiatives and ideasput together to meet the sector’s needs and leverage on existing needs,expertise, partnership and resources to improve quality and relevance of thePublic Schools system and administration.

Withfindings from the survey ascertained by SchoolsCompass, she stressed thatpolicies will be effectively improved upon to better deliver governmentdeliverables.

ThePermanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Abosede Adelaja while lauding theorganization’s collaborative effort with the Ministry of Education said theresults of such surveys support transitions into knowledge-based economy andhelp distil the specific initiatives and intervention plans required to executeon the mandate of the State Government.

Sheencouraged other stakeholders to take a cue from SchoolsCompass by identifyingthe Ministry’s focus areas for potential Public Private Sector Collaborations stressingthat the sector’s development requires a collective partnerships and stakeholders’participation.

With the gradual easing of nationwidelockdown due to a progressive decline in the number of the Covid-19 cases inNigeria, we are getting ready for Schools re-opening and also ensuringadherence to Covid-19 safety protocols in the face of ‘post-COVID-19 education realities’.

Alsowhile making the presentation, Founder, SchoolsCompass, Yomi Ojo said COVID-19 pandemichas created the largest disruption of education systems in history, affectingnearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries and all continents. “Ifwe are to reiterate the stands of notable authorities in the education sector,one might agree that the nation’s pre-COVID-19 education system was notsustainable as the sector is currently experiencing the drastic impact of thedownturn caused by the pandemic.

“As a tech driven organization,SchoolsCompass is established to assist parents in aligning with an idealschool(s) for their wards by giving them access to relevant information aboutdifferent schools all in one platform”, he noted.

Ojo said his organization conducted asurvey utilizing the vast database on its platform to reach the targetedNigeria’s education stakeholders and decision makers to determine the Nation’spost-COVID-19 learning expectations.

The research which involved respondentsfrom the six geo-political zones in the country supports active parent’sinclusivity in every child’s education.

According to him, the organisation’s findings reveals that, (i)the pandemic encouraged the need for schools to utilise technology in learning (ii) in a post COVID-19 learning environment,school owners and key decision-makers must involve parents throughout the learning process of the way forward for education (iii)the tuition fees payment package should be personalised in terms of each parents capabilities as authorities in the sector forecast a more competitive environment for school owners as they strive to remain in business (iv)even with the gradual easing of lockdown due to expected decline in the number of Covid-19 infections inNigeria, school owners must show leadership by providing preventing measures that would curb the spread so as to boost parents’ trust in institutions (v)now more than ever, schools owners must revamp their I.T department in order not to be taken unawares in the future.