Forum calls on FG to include ICT in primary school curriculum

Mary Uduma, the Chairperson, Nigeria Internet Governance Forum, has called on the Federal Government to include Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the primary school curriculum.

Uduma made the call in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.

She said that the country’s educational curriculum should  include ICT in the primary schools to enable the pupils be acquainted with technology early.

“We are just starting, we are not there yet; we should include ICT in our educational curriculum so that our children in primary schools will be in touch with technology early in life.

“When we start at early age to teach them technology, we will get their interest stimulated and they will also be fascinated by ICT early and the primary school level is very key, ’’ she said.

Uduma called for the development of smart schools, smart  villages and smart cities so that pupils from primary five could have access to ICT tools such as internet, computers or laptops and other software applications.

“If we can focus on that; change the curriculum in such a way that they will be taught at that level, then we are on way toward meeting what we call the global standard,’’ she said.

On the activities of the forum, Uduma said that it usually held  annual conferences, where recommendations were made for the government on ICT.

She said that among the recommendations made during the 2016 conference were policy development and securing ICT infrastructure for effective performance of operators in the sector.

She said that the recommendations had already been presented to the Minster of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu.

Uduma said that the minister had in view of this, set up a task force to look into the recommendations for possible implementation.

“We have been inviting people to join the forum and contribute to the development of ICT in the country.

“We have been talking to people to join the forum and it is free, “ she said.

Uduma said that in July, the forum would hold another conference, where key issues in the environment such as security, access, affordability and availability of the internet would be discussed.

“We will make recommendations to stakeholders, minister of communications and its agencies to see how we can all join hands to improve internet development and access in the country,’’ she said.