The suspension of academic activities following the extension of holidays for primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, aimed at containing the spread of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), has exposed the country’s technological inadequacy, especially in the area of e-learning.
This inadequacy is as a result of the country’s weak and underdeveloped broadband infrastructure which is likely to constitute a major drawback to the nationwide adoption of online services, such as e-learning, information portals, and so on.
Stakeholders in the education and technology sectors say only a robust national electronic learning strategy anchored on technology can curtail the impact of the disease on the education curriculum, with particular reference to primary and secondary schools in the country.
E-learning is the use of electronic media, educational technology and ICT in education. It includes numerous types of media, which deliver text, audio, images, animation, and streaming video, and includes technology applications and processes such as audio or video tape, satellite television (TV), CD-ROM, and computer-based learning, as well as local intranet/extranet and web-based learning.
Nigeria is believed to have an abysmal broadband internet penetration rate of 6.8 percent, according to the Ministry of Communications Technology, in spite of the estimated $20 billion ploughed into international underwater cable system, expected to ease the longstanding constraints of bandwidth unavailability and access.
Abiola Awosika-Fapetu, rector, Olawoyin School of Innovative Studies, says the time has come for the country to embrace the e-learning strategy, adding that the future leaders will suffer if they are allowed to stay at home this long.
Awosika-Fapetu, who spoke on ‘Sunrise’, a Channels Television programme, yesterday, said there was a possibility of further extension of the holiday since the action was aimed at protecting the children and preventing further spread of the disease. Some analysts believe the lack of infrastructure for e-learning has the potential to derail government target of becoming one of the top 20 economies of the world by the year 2020.
“We do not know how long this Ebola issue will last,” said Chris Uwaje, former president, Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON).
“We need to create e-schools, and e-learning platforms and strategies for these children. Government needs to bring teachers at all levels and technology experts together to brainstorm on how best to build tools based on technology to aid learning,” Uwaje said.
Babajide Lawal, an educationist, told BusinessDay in an interview that Federal Government could replicate the Opon Imo (Tablet of Knowledge) initiative developed by the Osun State government to curtail EVD’s impact on the nation’s education sector.
“If primary and secondary school students have all their textbooks based on the curriculum on tablet devices, then they can study at home even without internet connection. Better still, parents with financial resources can hire private teachers for their wards,” he further said.
The global e-learning market is expected to generate revenues of $513 million by 2016. Consequently, market observers say the current development presents a veritable opportunity for software developers and ‘techprenuers’ to develop locally-relevant educational services and content to fill the knowledge gap that the EVD could create, assuming the holiday continues long into the calendar year.
Some schools in Lagos, however, are already embracing e-learning solutions. Informed sources told BusinessDay that Green Spring College, Lekki, and Our Saviours International, Ikoyi, are making use of e-learning to teach children at home.
“I received an email from my child’s school that they are now offering e-learning services. The school in the email said my child could get access to reading materials, notes and even do his assignments online. That’s the power of technology,” said Lanre Ajayi, national president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).
“I think we need to take it to a national level by developing right e-learning strategies,” Ajayi said in an interview.
David Adewumi, president, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), said in a statement that “NCS recommends the purposeful development and deployment of information technology to enhance the achievement of Nigeria’s health goals”.
According to him, the group is ready and willing to partner with the federal and state governments in the innovative utilisation of information technology to support the handling of the EVD threat and national health security.
BusinessDay further gathered that governments of other African countries are already moving aggressively in that direction. The Ugandan government is supporting a hackerton to develop innovative solutions based on technology to address some of the social challenges that have surfaced due to the Ebola scourge.
On the other hand, the Ghanaian government has developed a robust online service to spread EVD and health information awareness.
“We must enshrine the policy that a technology leader must be part of decision making team in all areas of national emergency,” said Uwaje in an interview with BusinessDay.
Ben Uzor
