Under the hot afternoon sun, the bustling streets of Lagos are alive with the sound of honking danfo buses, street vendors shouting their wares, and school children in bright blue and white uniforms rushing home.
Amidst this vibrant urban landscape, a quiet revolution is taking place in some classrooms across the city, where technology is transforming how students learn and teachers teach. Yet, for many schools in Lagos, from the coastal communities of Lekki to the dense neighborhoods of Ajegunle, integrating technology into education remains a complex and uneven journey.
For years, Lagos has been at the center of Nigeria’s tech revolution. As the city strives to build a more inclusive and future-ready education system, schools are increasingly incorporating technology into the classroom.
In a small classroom at Surulere Primary School, a modest building nestled among the lively markets and old colonial-era houses, students huddle around a single laptop, taking turns solving math problems on an interactive learning platform.
Meanwhile, across the city is Queen’s College in Yaba, one of Lagos’s most prestigious all-girls schools, where students use virtual reality (VR) headsets to explore the depths of the Atlantic Ocean as part of their geography lesson.
In the floating community of Makoko, the reality is obviously different. Here, most families live in wooden houses on stilts, with no access to basic amenities like electricity or clean water, let alone the internet.
At Makoko Primary School, teacher Mr. Sunday Ajayi recounts the challenges: “We don’t even have enough textbooks, so you can imagine how hard it is to talk about technology. But we are doing our best with what we have.”
As technology transforms education, schools in Lagos are adapting to a tech-driven future but not without challenges.
Amina, a 14-year-old student from a low-income neighborhood in Mushin, shares her experience: “At school, we sometimes get to use the computer lab, but at home, I have no access to the internet. When we have assignments that need online research, I have to rely on my friends or wait until I can go to a cybercafé.”
To bridge this gap, organisations like Paradigm Initiative, a Nigerian social enterprise, have stepped in to provide digital literacy training and affordable internet solutions to underserved communities. “Our goal is to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, has access to the digital tools they need to succeed,” says Mr. ‘Gbenga Sesan, the organisation’s executive director.
Read also: From streets to classrooms: How Nigeria can harness ‘street language’ for education
The Lagos State government, recognising the potential of digital learning, launched the “Eko Digital Initiative” earlier this year, aiming to equip public schools with modern tools. The project has seen success in schools like Queen’s College but struggles in areas with less infrastructure.
Despite the government’s efforts, the digital divide in Lagos remains stark. In areas like Makoko and Ajegunle, many students still lack access to basic digital tools and reliable internet.
A recent survey by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) revealed that more than 40% of public-school students do not have access to computers or the internet at home.
To bridge this gap, gr]assroots organizations like Slum2School are working to provide laptops and mobile internet units to underserved schools.
“We want to ensure that every child, no matter where they are in Lagos, has the opportunity to learn and thrive,” says Otto Orondaam, founder of Slum2School, a local NGO that supports education in low-income areas.
For many teachers in Lagos, the shift to digital learning is both exhilarating and daunting. At Ikoyi Junior High School, Mr. Samuel Olaniyan, a mathematics teacher who commutes from the mainland to the island every day, speaks of the changes.
“We’ve gone from using pencil and paper tests (PPT) to computer-based tests (CBT),” he says with a smile, tapping on a screen to show a graph. “I’ve been teaching for over 20 years, and I never imagined I would need to learn about apps and coding.”
But not all teachers are finding the transition easy. In Ikeja, at the bustling heart of Lagos mainland, Mrs. Chinyere Nnaji, a science teacher at Ikeja Grammar School, reflects on the challenges.
“We’ve had some training sessions, but they are too short. We need more time and support to learn these new tools,” Chinyere laments. “Sometimes, I feel like I’m competing with the technology, not using it.”
Cybersecurity and privacy
With the rise in technology use, cybersecurity has become a pressing issue for Lagos schools.
Last year, a ransomware attack targeted a secondary school in Alimosho, the largest local government area in Lagos State, disrupting online classes for over a week. “It was a nightmare,” recalls Mr. Femi Akinola, the school’s ICT coordinator. “We had to scramble to recover data, and some students lost important work. We’ve since ramped up our security protocols, but it’s still a concern.”
Parents are also worried
In Surulere, a busy residential and commercial district known for its vibrant arts scene, Mrs. Funmi Adeoye, a mother of two, voices her fears: “We want our children to be digitally literate, but at what cost? Who is watching out for their data privacy and safety online?”
Future trends and innovations
While many schools struggle with basic digital access, some are already looking to the future. In Lekki, a fast-growing upscale area, Chrisland Schools are piloting an AI-driven personalized learning program.
“The system adapts to each student’s learning pace, offering customised challenges,” explains Mrs. Tinuade Adekoya, a teaching staff. “We’re seeing great results, but we are mindful that technology should enhance, not replace, the human touch in education. It’s like having a personal tutor for every child.” she said.
However, experts caution against a rush to adopt new technologies without addressing the foundational issues of access and teacher training.
“We need a balanced approach,” says Dr. John Oluwole, an education policy analyst at the University of Lagos. “Technology should complement, not replace, effective teaching and learning practices.”
From the wooden classrooms of Makoko to the tech labs of Lekki, Lagos schools are navigating the complexities of integrating technology into education.
The challenge remains finding the right balance between innovation and equity, between access and privacy, and between digital tools and traditional teaching methods. “We are on a journey,” says Mrs. Olawale, “and while there are challenges, the potential to transform education in Lagos is immense.”
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